containing carbon particles by inhalation when wearing facemasks. Other potential health effects are chrome allergies and nonneoplastic lesions of...chronic inflammation—have been reported in chrome -platers and other workers exposed to aerosols of chromium (VI) compounds. Chronic pharyngitis...monochromates and dichromates of sodium, potassium , ammonium, lithium, cesium, and rubidium. ACGIH includes chromium in its list of known human

Full Text Available Abstract Background Inhalation of low-density helium/oxygen mixtures has been used both to lower the airway resistance and work of breathing of patients with obstructive lung disease and to transport pharmaceutical aerosols to obstructed lung regions. However, recent clinical investigations have highlighted the potential for entrainment of room air to dilute helium/oxygen mixtures delivered through non-rebreather facemasks, thereby increasing the density of the inhaled gas mixture and limiting intended therapeutic effects. This article describes the development of benchtop methods using face models for evaluating delivery of helium/oxygen mixtures through facemasks. Methods Four face models were used: a flat plate, a glass head manikin, and two face manikins normally used in life support training. A mechanical test lung and ventilator were employed to simulate spontaneous breathing during delivery of 78/22 %vol helium/oxygen through non-rebreather facemasks. Based on comparison of inhaled helium concentrations with available clinical data, one face model was selected for measurements made during delivery of 78/22 or 65/35 %vol helium/oxygen through three different masks as tidal volume varied between 500 and 750 ml, respiratory rate between 14 and 30 breaths/min, the inspiratory/expiratory ratio between 1/2 and 1/1, and the supply gas flow rate between 4 and 15 l/min. Inhaled helium concentrations were measured both with a thermal conductivity analyzer and using a novel flow resistance method. Results Face models borrowed from life support training provided reasonably good agreement with available clinical data. After normalizing for the concentration of helium in the supply gas, no difference was noted in the extent of room air entrainment when delivering 78/22 versus 65/35 %vol helium/oxygen. For a given mask fitted to the face in a reproducible manner, delivered helium concentrations were primarily determined by the ratio of supply gas

Full Text Available Masks serve as particularly effective props in contemporary Mexican and Chicano performance art because of a number of deeply rooted traditions in Mexican culture. This essay explores the mask as code of honor in Mexican culture, and foregrounds the manner in which a number of contemporary Mexican and Chicano artists and performers strategically employ wrestling masks to (efface the mask-like image of Mexican or U.S. nationalism. I apply the label "performance artist" broadly, to include musicians and political figures that integrate an exaggerated sense of theatricality into their performances. Following the early work of Roland Barthes, I read performances as "texts" in which the wrestling masks function as immediately recognizable signs . I argue that by masking their identity and alluding to popular mask traditions, Chicano and Mexican performance artists make visible, and interrogate, the national face(s of power.

Full Text Available Sparse representation-based classification (SRC method has demonstrated promising results in face recognition (FR. In this paper, we consider the problem of face recognition with occlusion. In sparse representation-based classification method, the reconstruction residual of test sample over the training set is usually heterogeneous with the training samples, highlighting the occlusion part in test sample. We detect the occlusion part by extracting a mask from the reconstruction residual through threshold operation. The mask will be applied in the representation-based classification framework to eliminate the impact of occlusion in FR. The method does not assume any prior knowledge about the occlusion, and extensive experiments on publicly available databases show the efficacy of the method.

To provide an alternative device for immobilization of the head while easing claustrophobia and improving comfort, an "open-face" thermoplastic mask was evaluated using video-based optical surface imaging (OSI) and kilovoltage (kV) X-ray radiography. A three-point thermoplastic head mask with a precut opening and reinforced strips was developed. After molding, it provided sufficient visible facial area as the region of interest for OSI. Using real-time OSI, the head motion of ten volunteers in the new mask was evaluated during mask locking and 15minutes lying on the treatment couch. Using a nose mark with reference to room lasers, forced head movement in open-face and full-head masks (with a nose hole) was compared. Five patients with claustrophobia were immobilized with open-facemasks, set up using OSI and kV, and treated in 121 fractions, in which 61 fractions were monitored during treatment using real-time OSI. With the open-facemask, head motion was found to be 1.0 ± 0.6 mm and 0.4° ± 0.2° in volunteers during the experiment, and 0.8 ± 0.3 mm and 0.4° ± 0.2° in patients during treatment. These agree with patient motion calculated from pre-/post-treatment OSI and kV data using different anatomical landmarks. In volunteers, the head shift induced by mask-locking was 2.3 ± 1.7 mm and 1.8° ± 0.6°, and the range of forced movements in the open-face and full-head masks were found to be similar. Most (80%) of the volunteers preferred the open-facemask to the full-head mask, while claustrophobic patients could only tolerate the open-facemask. The open-facemask is characterized for its immobilization capability and can immobilize patients sufficiently (< 2 mm) during radiotherapy. It provides a clinical solution to the immobilization of patients with head and neck (HN) cancer undergoing radiotherapy, and is particularly beneficial for claustrophobic patients. This new open-facemask is readily adopted in radiotherapy clinic as a superior alternative to

Significant air leak from the facial cleft predisposes to difficult mask ventilation. The reported techniques of use of sterile gauze, larger facemask and laryngeal mask airway after intravenous induction have limited application in uncooperative children. We describe the use of dental impression material molded to the facial contour to cover the facial defect and aid ventilation with an appropriate size facemask in a child with a bilateral Tessier 3 anomaly.

Development of dry powder inhalation (DPI) for horses requires the use of an adapted facemask. In experiment I, 4 masks (A, B, C and D) were tested and factors influencing the delivery of the dry powder were determined. Mask A was one which is commercially available for metered-dose inhalation. Mask B had the same shape as Mask A but an airtight rubber seal was added for the connection between the mask and horse's head. Mask C was a prototype adapted for DPI with connection for the DPI device between the nostrils, airtight expiratory valves in front of each nostril and airtight rubber seal to attach the mask on the horse's head. Mask D was the same as Mask C but the airtight expiratory valve was situated in front of one nostril and the connection for the DPI device was placed in front of the other nostril. Inhalet emptying and peak inspiratory pressure were measured on 5 healthy horses with each facemask. Both Masks A and B gave a low rate of inhalet emptying. Inspiratory pressures created in Masks C and D were negative enough to ensure inhalet emptying rates of mean +/- s.d. 98.28 +/- 1.79% and 100% respectively. In experiment 2, the facemasks giving the greatest inhalet emptying were used to test the therapeutic efficacy of ipratropium bromide DPI. This was tested on 6 horses suffering from acute exacerbation of chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD). At a dose of 200 micrograms/100 kg bwt, ipratropium administered with Mask D improved significantly pulmonary function measurements compared to baseline values and placebo inhalation. With Mask C, a double dose of ipratropium (400 micrograms/100 kg bwt) was necessary to improve these parameters compared to baseline values. This indicated the importance of locating the DPI device in front of one nostril. It was concluded that inhalet emptying is correlated to inspiratory pressures measured in the facemasks. Secondly, these pressures are in turn dependent on the air-tightness of the mask, i.e. air

We have tested the effect of a porous cellulose fabric facemask. Nine asthmatic patients, anamnestically sensitive to cold, took part in exercise tests on an ergometer bicycle at a temperature of approximately -10 degrees C, with and without a facemask. For comparison, exercise tests were also performed with breathing taking place through a woolen scarf. Three minutes after finishing the exercise test, there was an average fall in FEV1 of 32% in the group without a facemask. The corresponding fall in FEV1 was 6% with a facemask and 17% with a scarf. In order to get some idea of the patients' attitudes to the facemask, it was used by 25 asthma patients during a period of 2 weeks in winter, after which they were asked to answer a simple questionnaire. Eighty-eight percent of the patients stated that the facemask had provided satisfactory protection against asthma complaints induced by cold air, and 72% reported that they had been able to spend more time out-of-doors. The results show that porous cellulose fabric designed as a facemask offers effective protection against asthma complaints induced by cold air and exercise, and that the patients appear to appreciate this protective aid highly despite the cosmetic disadvantages.

Full Text Available BACKGROUND: Governments are preparing for a potential influenza pandemic. Therefore they need data to assess the possible impact of interventions. Face-masks worn by the general population could be an accessible and affordable intervention, if effective when worn under routine circumstances. METHODOLOGY: We assessed transmission reduction potential provided by personal respirators, surgical masks and home-made masks when worn during a variety of activities by healthy volunteers and a simulated patient. PRINCIPAL FINDINGS: All types of masks reduced aerosol exposure, relatively stable over time, unaffected by duration of wear or type of activity, but with a high degree of individual variation. Personal respirators were more efficient than surgical masks, which were more efficient than home-made masks. Regardless of mask type, children were less well protected. Outward protection (mask wearing by a mechanical head was less effective than inward protection (mask wearing by healthy volunteers. CONCLUSIONS/SIGNIFICANCE: Any type of general mask use is likely to decrease viral exposure and infection risk on a population level, in spite of imperfect fit and imperfect adherence, personal respirators providing most protection. Masks worn by patients may not offer as great a degree of protection against aerosol transmission.

Full Text Available BACKGROUND: Major depressive disorder (MDD is associated with a mood-congruent processing bias in the amygdala toward face stimuli portraying sad expressions that is evident even when such stimuli are presented below the level of conscious awareness. The extended functional anatomical network that maintains this response bias has not been established, however. AIMS: To identify neural network differences in the hemodynamic response to implicitly presented facial expressions between depressed and healthy control participants. METHOD: Unmedicated-depressed participants with MDD (n=22 and healthy controls (HC; n=25 underwent functional MRI as they viewed face stimuli showing sad, happy or neutral face expressions, presented using a backward masking design. The blood-oxygen-level dependent (BOLD signal was measured to identify regions where the hemodynamic response to the emotionally valenced stimuli differed between groups. RESULTS: The MDD subjects showed greater BOLD responses than the controls to masked-sad versus masked-happy faces in the hippocampus, amygdala and anterior inferotemporal cortex. While viewing both masked-sad and masked-happy faces relative to masked-neutral faces, the depressed subjects showed greater hemodynamic responses than the controls in a network that included the medial and orbital prefrontal cortices and anterior temporal cortex. CONCLUSIONS: Depressed and healthy participants showed distinct hemodynamic responses to masked-sad and masked-happy faces in neural circuits known to support the processing of emotionally valenced stimuli and to integrate the sensory and visceromotor aspects of emotional behavior. Altered function within these networks in MDD may establish and maintain illness-associated differences in the salience of sensory/social stimuli, such that attention is biased toward negative and away from positive stimuli.

Full Text Available BACKGROUND: Protective respiratory facemasks protect the nose and mouth of the wearer from vapor drops carrying viruses or other infectious pathogens. However, incorrect use and disposal may actually increase the risk of pathogen transmission, rather than reduce it, especially when masks are used by non-professionals such as the lay public. Copper oxide displays potent antiviral properties. A platform technology has been developed that permanently introduces copper oxide into polymeric materials, conferring them with potent biocidal properties. METHODOLOGY/PRINCIPAL FINDINGS: We demonstrate that impregnation of copper oxide into respiratory protective facemasks endows them with potent biocidal properties in addition to their inherent filtration properties. Both control and copper oxide impregnated masks filtered above 99.85% of aerosolized viruses when challenged with 5.66+/-0.51 and 6.17+/-0.37 log(10TCID(50 of human influenza A virus (H1N1 and avian influenza virus (H9N2, respectively, under simulated breathing conditions (28.3 L/min. Importantly, no infectious human influenza A viral titers were recovered from the copper oxide containing masks within 30 minutes (< or = 0.88 log(10TCID(50, while 4.67+/-1.35 log(10TCID(50 were recovered from the control masks. Similarly, the infectious avian influenza titers recovered from the copper oxide containing masks were < or = 0.97+/-0.01 log(10TCID(50 and from the control masks 5.03+/-0.54 log(10TCID(50. The copper oxide containing masks successfully passed Bacterial Filtration Efficacy, Differential Pressure, Latex Particle Challenge, and Resistance to Penetration by Synthetic Blood tests designed to test the filtration properties of facemasks in accordance with the European EN 14683:2005 and NIOSH N95 standards. CONCLUSIONS/SIGNIFICANCE: Impregnation of copper oxide into respiratory protective facemasks endows them with potent anti-influenza biocidal properties without altering their physical

Full Text Available BACKGROUND: Surgical facemasks were originally developed to contain and filter droplets containing microorganisms expelled from the mouth and nasopharynx of healthcare workers during surgery, thereby providing protection for the patient. However, there are several ways in which surgical facemasks could potentially contribute to contamination of the surgical wound, e.g. by incorrect wear or by leaking air from the side of the mask due to poor string tension. OBJECTIVES: To determine whether disposable surgical facemasks worn by the surgical team during clean surgery prevent postoperative surgical wound infection. SEARCH METHODS: We searched The Cochrane Wounds Group Specialised Register (searched 14 September 2011; The Cochrane Central Register of Controlled Trials (CENTRAL (The Cochrane Library 2011, Issue 3; Ovid MEDLINE (2008 to August Week 5 2011; Ovid MEDLINE (In-Process &Other Non-Indexed Citations September 13, 2011; Ovid EMBASE (2008 to 2011 Week 35; and EBSCO CINAHL (2008 to 9 September 2011. SELECTION CRITERIA: Randomized controlled trials (RCTs and quasi-randomized controlled trials comparing the use of disposable surgical masks with the use of no mask. DATA COLLECTION AND ANALYSIS: Two review authors extracted data independently. MAIN RESULTS: Three trials were included, involving a total of 2113 participants. There was no statistically significant difference in infection rates between the masked and unmasked group in any of the trials. AUTHORS' CONCLUSIONS: From the limited results it is unclear whether the wearing of surgical facemasks by members of the surgical team has any impact on surgical wound infection rates for patients undergoing clean surgery.

Full Text Available Although tuberculosis is transmitted by the airborne route, direct information on the natural output of bacilli into air by source cases is very limited. We sought to address this through sampling of expelled aerosols in facemasks that were subsequently analyzed for mycobacterial contamination.In series 1, 17 smear microscopy positive patients wore standard surgical facemasks once or twice for periods between 10 minutes and 5 hours; mycobacterial contamination was detected using a bacteriophage assay. In series 2, 19 patients with suspected tuberculosis were studied in Leicester UK and 10 patients with at least one positive smear were studied in The Gambia. These subjects wore one FFP30 mask modified to contain a gelatin filter for one hour; this was subsequently analyzed by the Xpert MTB/RIF system.In series 1, the bacteriophage assay detected live mycobacteria in 11/17 patients with wearing times between 10 and 120 minutes. Variation was seen in mask positivity and the level of contamination detected in multiple samples from the same patient. Two patients had non-tuberculous mycobacterial infections. In series 2, 13/20 patients with pulmonary tuberculosis produced positive masks and 0/9 patients with extrapulmonary or non-tuberculous diagnoses were mask positive. Overall, 65% of patients with confirmed pulmonary mycobacterial infection gave positive masks and this included 3/6 patients who received diagnostic bronchoalveolar lavages.Mask sampling provides a simple means of assessing mycobacterial output in non-sputum expectorant. The approach shows potential for application to the study of airborne transmission and to diagnosis.

Nasal geometries and temperature of the nasal mucosa are the primary factors affecting nasal air conditioning. Data on intranasal air conditioning after provoking the trigeminal nerve with a cold stimulus simulating the effects of an arctic condition is still missing. The objective was to investigate the influence of skin cooling facemasks on nasal air conditioning, mucosal temperature and nasal geometry. Standardized in vivo measurements of intranasal air temperature, humidity and mucosal temperature were performed in 55 healthy subjects at defined detection sites before and after wearing a cooling facemask. Measurements of skin temperature, rhinomanometry and acoustic rhinometry were accomplished. After wearing the facemask the facial skin temperature was significantly reduced. Intranasal air temperature did not change. Absolute humidity and mucosal temperature increased significantly. The acoustic rhinometric results showed a significant increase of the volumes and the cross-sectional areas. There was no change in nasal airflow. Nasal mucosal temperature, humidity of inhaled air, and volume of the anterior nose increased after application of a cold facemask. The response is mediated by the trigeminal nerve. Increased mucosal temperatures as well as changes in nasal geometries seem to guarantee sufficient steady intranasal nasal air conditioning.

A case report is presented of a class III malocclusion with a class III skeletal pattern and maxillary retrusion. Patient, a 10-year-old boy was treated with an orthopedic facemask in conjunction with rapid maxillary expansion and standard pre-adjusted edgewise appliance. Treatment was completed after 3 years and proved to be stable following the active treatment.

In the absence of a strain-specific vaccine and the potential resistance to antiviral medication, nonpharmaceutical interventions can be used to reduce the spread of an infectious disease such as influenza. The most common non-pharmaceutical interventions include school closures, travel restrictions, social distancing, enforced or volunteer home isolation and quarantine, improved hand hygiene, and the appropriate wearing of facemasks. However, for some of these interventions, there are some unavoidable economic costs to both employees and employers, as well as possible additional detriment to society as a whole. For example, it has been shown that school-age children are most likely to be infected and act as sources of infection for others, due to their greater societal interaction and increased susceptibility. Therefore, preventing or at least reducing infections in children is a logical first-line of defense. For this reason, school closures have been widely investigated and recommended as part of pandemic influenza preparedness, and some studies support this conclusion. Yet, school closures would result in lost work days if at least one parent must be absent from work to care for children who would otherwise be at school. In addition, the delay in-academic progress may be detrimental due to mass school absenteeism. In particular, the pandemic influenza guidance by the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services recommends school closures for less than four weeks for Category 2 and 3 pandemics (i.e., similar to the milder 1957 and 1968 pandemics) and one to three months for Category 4 and 5 pandemics (i .e., similar to the 1918 pandemic ). Yet, given the above, it is clear that closing schools for up to three months is unlikely to be a practical mitigation strategy for many families and society. Thus modelers and policy makers need to weigh all factors before recommending such drastic measures, particularly if the agent under consideration typically has low

Human observers are remarkably proficient at recognizing expressions of emotions and at readily grouping them into distinct categories. When morphing one facial expression into another, the linear changes in low-level features are insufficient to describe the changes in perception, which instead follow an s-shaped function. Important questions are, whether there are single diagnostic regions in the face that drive categorical perception for certain parings of emotion expressions, and how information in those regions interacts when presented together. We report results from two experiments with morphed fear-anger expressions, where (a) half of the face was masked or (b) composite faces made up of different expressions were presented. When isolated upper and lower halves of faces were shown, the eyes were found to be almost as diagnostic as the whole face, with the response function showing a steep category boundary. In contrast, the mouth allowed for a substantially lesser amount of accuracy and responses followed a much flatter psychometric function. When a composite face consisting of mismatched upper and lower halves was used and observers were instructed to exclusively judge either the expression of mouth or eyes, the to-be-ignored part always influenced perception of the target region. In line with experiment 1, the eye region exerted a much stronger influence on mouth judgements than vice versa. Again, categorical perception was significantly more pronounced for upper halves of faces. The present study shows that identification of fear and anger in morphed faces relies heavily on information from the upper half of the face, most likely the eye region. Categorical perception is possible when only the upper face half is present, but compromised when only the lower part is shown. Moreover, observers tend to integrate all available features of a face, even when trying to focus on only one part.

Full Text Available Class III skeletal anomaly is one of the most difficult malocclusions to correct in orthodontics. Orthodontist usually involved chincup appliances to restrain mandibular growth, camouflage techniques to advances maxillary incisors and retract mandibular incisors or waiting untul growth ceased to pursue orthognathic surgery. Many studies found that most of Class III malocclusions were characterized by maxillary retrognathism. In the late 1960s, the Delaire mask was popularized to protract the maxilla. The development of maxillary protraction with facemask and palatal expansion have provided a predictable and effective approach to managing treatment that was once considered difficult. Although no significant difference was found between early or late treatment group, the effect of improvement in facial aesthetics on psychosocial development resulted in a significant advantage for early treatment. However, the effects of facemask therapy should be evaluated over the long term in order to determine the relaps tendency.

To determine the proportion of hospital staff who pass fit tests with each of three commonly used particulate facemasks, and factors influencing preference and fit test results. Observational study. 50 healthy hospital staff volunteers in an 18-bed general intensive care unit in an Australian teaching hospital. Participants were administered a questionnaire about mask use and their preferred mask and underwent qualitative fit-testing with each of three different particulate masks: Kimberly-Clark Tecnol FluidShield N95 particulate filter respirator (KC), 3M Flat Fold 9320 particulate respirator and 3M 8822 particulate respirator with exhalation valve. Participants who failed fittesting were trained in correct mask donning, and fittesting was repeated. Proportion of participants who passed the fit test for each mask and the effect of training. The proportion of participants who passed a fit test was low for all three masks tested (KC, 16%; flat fold, 28%; and valved, 34%). Rates improved after training: the first mask tested fitted in 18% of participants pre-training and 40% post-training (P = 0.02). None of the masks fitted for 28% of participants. There were no significant predictors of fit-test results. A large proportion of individuals failed a fit test with any given mask, and we were not able to identify any factors that predicted mask fit in individuals. Training on mask use improved the rates of adequate fit. Hospitals should carry a range of P2 masks, and should conduct systematic P2 mask training and fit-testing programs for all staff potentially exposed to airborne pathogens.

In the absence of a strain-specific vaccine and the potential resistance to antiviral medication, nonpharmaceutical interventions can be used to reduce the spread of an infectious disease such as influenza. The most common non-pharmaceutical interventions include school closures, travel restrictions, social distancing, enforced or volunteer home isolation and quarantine, improved hand hygiene, and the appropriate wearing of facemasks. However, for some of these interventions, there are some unavoidable economic costs to both employees and employers, as well as possible additional detriment to society as a whole. For example, it has been shown that school-age children are most likely to be infected and act as sources of infection for others, due to their greater societal interaction and increased susceptibility. Therefore, preventing or at least reducing infections in children is a logical first-line of defense. For this reason, school closures have been widely investigated and recommended as part of pandemic influenza preparedness, and some studies support this conclusion. Yet, school closures would result in lost work days if at least one parent must be absent from work to care for children who would otherwise be at school. In addition, the delay in-academic progress may be detrimental due to mass school absenteeism. In particular, the pandemic influenza guidance by the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services recommends school closures for less than four weeks for Category 2 and 3 pandemics (i.e., similar to the milder 1957 and 1968 pandemics) and one to three months for Category 4 and 5 pandemics (i .e., similar to the 1918 pandemic ). Yet, given the above, it is clear that closing schools for up to three months is unlikely to be a practical mitigation strategy for many families and society. Thus modelers and policy makers need to weigh all factors before recommending such drastic measures, particularly if the agent under consideration typically has low

Full Text Available In the aging literature it has been shown that even though emotion recognition performance decreases with age, the decrease is less for happiness than other facial expressions. Studies in younger adults have also revealed that happy faces are more strongly attended to and better recognized than other emotional facial expressions. Thus, there might be a more age independent happy face advantage in facial expression recognition. By using a backward masking paradigm and varying stimulus onset asynchronies (17–267 ms the temporal development of a happy face advantage, on a continuum from low to high levels of visibility, was examined in younger and older adults. Results showed that across age groups, recognition performance for happy faces was better than for neutral and fearful faces at durations longer than 50 ms. Importantly, the results showed a happy face advantage already during early processing of emotional faces in both younger and older adults. This advantage is discussed in terms of processing of salient perceptual features and elaborative processing of the happy face. We also investigate the combined effect of age and neuroticism on emotional face processing. The rationale was previous findings of age related differences in physiological arousal to emotional pictures and a relation between arousal and neuroticism. Across all durations, there was an interaction between age and neuroticism, showing that being high in neuroticism might be disadvantageous for younger, but not older adults’ emotion recognition performance during arousal enhancing tasks. These results indicate that there is a relation between aging, neuroticism, and performance, potentially related to physiological arousal.

High levels of emotional intelligence (EI) have been associated with increased success in the workplace, greater quality of personal relationships, and enhanced wellbeing. Evidence suggests that EI is mediated extensively by the interplay of key emotion regions including the amygdala, insula, and ventromedial prefrontal cortex, among others. The insula, in particular, is important for processing interoceptive and somatic cues that are interpreted as emotional responses. We investigated the association between EI and functional brain responses within the aforementioned neurocircuitry in response to subliminal presentations of social threat. Fifty-four healthy adults completed the Mayer-Salovey-Caruso Emotional Intelligence Test (MSCEIT) and underwent functional magnetic brain imaging while viewing subliminal presentations of faces displaying anger, using a backward masked facial affect paradigm to minimize conscious awareness of the expressed emotion. In response to masked angry faces, the total MSCEIT scores correlated negatively with a cluster of activation located within the left insula, but not with activation in any other region of interest. Considering the insula's role in the processing of interoceptive emotional cues, the results suggest that greater EI is associated with reduced emotional visceral reactivity and/or more accurate interoceptive prediction when confronted with stimuli indicative of social threat.

The purpose was to evaluate the esthetic perception among children from public and private schools regarding the use of different types of facemasks. Six different types of orthopedic facemasks made from images of the same patient were evaluated. Initially, the images were standardized with the help of Adobe Photoshop software. The variable considered was type of mask: (A) Delaire with facebow; (B) Petit; (C) Delaire; (D)Turley; (E) Hickham; and (F) Sky Hook. The images were printed on photographic paper and incorporated into a specific personalized questionnaire that was distributed to 7- to 10-year-olds attending public and private schools (n=120). The data obtained were compared via chi-square, Fisher's exact tests, Mann-Whitney and Spearman's tests. The proportion of participants who chose image A as the best was significantly higher (P.05). The mean scores between groups were not significantly correlated between private vs public schoolchildren (r=0.32) and between boys and girls (r=0.41). Delaire facemask with facebow was chosen as the most attractive, and the Petit and Sky Hook facemasks were voted the least attractive.

Purpose: Open face head and neck masks allow for active patient monitoring during treatment and may reduced claustrophobia and anxiety compared to closed masks. The ability of open masks to limit intrafraction motion and to preserve the patient shape/position from simulation over protracted treatments should be considered. Methods: Thirty-two head and neck patients were prospectively randomized to treatment in a closed mask or a novel open facemask. All patients received daily volumetric imaging. The daily images were automatically rigidly registered to the planning CT’s offline using a commercial image processing tool. The shifts needed to optimize the registration, the mutual information coefficient (MI), and the Pearson correlation (PC) coefficients were recorded to evaluate shape preservation. The open group was set-up and monitored with surface imaging at treatment. The real time surface imaging information was recorded to evaluate intrafraction motion. Results: Sixteen patients were included in each group. Evaluations were made over a total of 984 fractions. The mean MI and PC showed significantly higher shape preservation for the open group than for the closed group (p = 0). The mean rotations for the open group were smaller or < 0.15° larger versus the closed group. The mean intrafraction motion for the open group was 0.93 +/−0.99 mm (2 SD). The maximum single fraction displacement was 3.2 mm. Fourteen of 16 patients showed no significant correlation of motion with fraction number (p > 0.05). Conclusion: The open masks preserved shape as well as the closed masks, and they limited motion to < 2 mm for 95% of the treated fractions. These results are consistent over treatment courses of up to 35 fractions. The open mask is suitable for treatment with or without active monitoring. This work was partially supported by Qfix.

Although the wearing of facemasks in public has not been recommended for preventing influenza, these devices are often worn in many Asian countries during the influenza season. In Japan, it is thought that such behavior may be an indicator of other positive hygiene practices. The aim of this study, therefore, was to determine if wearing a facemask in public is associated with other positive hygiene practices and health behaviors among Japanese adults. We initially recruited around 3,000 Japanese individuals ranging from 20 to 69 years of age who were registered with a web survey company. Participants were asked to recall their personal hygiene practices during the influenza season of the previous year. Logistic regression analysis was then used to examine the associations between wearing a facemask in public and personal hygiene practices and health behaviors. A total of 3,129 persons responded to the survey, among whom 38% reported that they had worn a facemask in public during the previous influenza season. Wearing a facemask in public was associated with various self-reported hygiene practices including: frequent hand washing (adjusted Odds Ratio [OR]: 1.67; 95% Confidence Interval [95%CI]: 1.34-1.96), occasional hand washing (OR: 1.43; 95%CI: 1.10-1.75), frequently avoiding crowds (OR: 1.85; 95%CI: 1.70-1.98), occasionally avoiding crowds (OR: 1.65; 95%CI: 1.53-1.76), frequent gargling (OR: 1.68; 95%CI: 1.51-1.84), occasional gargling (OR: 1.46; 95%CI: 1.29-1.62), regularly avoiding close contact with an infected person (OR: 1.50; 95%CI: 1.33-1.67), occasionally avoiding close contact with an infected person (OR: 1.31; 95%CI: 1.16-1.46), and being vaccinated of influenza in the last season (OR: 1.31; 95%CI: 1.17-1.45). Overall, this study suggests that wearing a facemask in public may be associated with other personal hygiene practices and health behaviors among Japanese adults. Rather than preventing influenza itself, facemask use might instead be a

An attentional bias to threat has been causally related to anxiety. Recent research has linked nonconscious attentional bias to threat with variability in the integrity of the amygdala - anterior cingulate pathway, which sheds light on the neuroanatomical basis for a behavioral precursor to anxiety. However, the extent to which structural variability in amygdala - anterior cingulate integrity relates to the functional connectivity within this pathway and how such functional connectivity may relate to attention bias behavior, remain critical missing pieces of the puzzle. In 15 individuals we measured the structural integrity of the amygdala - prefrontal pathway with diffusion tensor-weighted MRI (magnetic resonance imaging), amygdala-seeded intrinsic functional connectivity to the anterior cingulate, and attentional bias toward backward masked fearful faces with a dot-probe task. We found that greater biases in attention to threat predicted greater levels of uncinate fasciculus integrity, greater positive amygdala - anterior cingulate functional connectivity, and greater amygdala coupling with a broader social perception network including the superior temporal sulcus, tempoparietal junction (TPJ), and somatosensory cortex. Additionally, greater levels of uncinate fasciculus integrity correlated with greater levels of amygdala - anterior cingulate intrinsic functional connectivity. Thus, high bias individuals displayed a heightened degree of amygdala - anterior cingulate connectivity during basal conditions, which we believe predisposes these individuals to focus their attention on signals of threat within their environment.

Full Text Available INTRODUCTION: Prognosis is the main limitation of interceptive treatment of Class III malocclusions. The interceptive procedures of rapid maxillary expansion (RME and facemask therapy performed in early mixed dentition are capable of achieving immediate overcorrection and maintenance of facial and occlusal morphology for a few years. Individuals presenting minimal acceptable faces at growth completion are potential candidates for compensatory orthodontic treatment, while those with facial involvement should be submitted to orthodontic decompensation for orthognathic surgery. OBJECTIVES: To investigate cephalometric variables that might predict the outcomes of orthopedic treatment with RME and facemask therapy (FM. METHODS: Cephalometric analysis of 26 Class III patients (mean age of 8 years and 4 months was performed at treatment onset and after a mean period of 6 years and 10 months at pubertal growth completion, including a subjective facial analysis. Patients was divided into two groups: success group (21 individuals and failure group (5 individuals. Discriminant analysis was applied to the cephalometric values at treatment onset. Two predictor variables were found by stepwise procedure. RESULTS: Orthopedic treatment of Class III malocclusion may have unfavorable prognosis at growth completion whenever initial cephalometric analysis reveals increased lower anterior facial height (LAFH combined with reduced angle between the condylar axis and the mandibular plane (CondAx.MP. CONCLUSION: The results of treatment with RME and facemask therapy at growth completion in Class III patients could be predicted with a probability of 88.5%.

Objective: To evaluate the orthopedic effects of a new method to treat skeletal crossbite in the early mixed dentition. Methods:Twenty cases (5.8-7.5 years old ) with skeletal crossbite were treated by bonding the bite plate combined with the facemask protracting the upper jaw. Cephalometric radiographs were taken and analyzed before and after treatments. Results: On average, in all 20 cases the maxilla was moved by 2.06 mm forward; the mandible was turned 2.45° downward and backward; the skeletal crossbites were corrected and the facial profiles were improved satisfactorily. The period of treatment was conducted for 1.7 months on average. Conclusion: A good effect can be achieved by bonding bite plate combined with the facemask protracting the upper jaw to treat skeletal crossbite in the early mixed dentition, which will benefit the craniofacial growth and the development of young children.

Full Text Available We investigated whether infants experience the hollow-face illusion using a screen-based presentation of a rotating hollow mask. In experiment 1 we examined preferential looking between rotating convex and concave faces. Adults looked more at the concave—illusory convex—face which appears to counter rotate. Infants of 7- to 8-month-old infants preferred the convex face, and 5- to 6-month-olds showed no preference. While older infants discriminate, their preference differed from that of adults possibly because they don't experience the illusion or counter rotation. In experiment 2 we tested preference in 7- to 8-month-olds for angled convex and concave static faces both before and after habituation to the stimuli shown in experiment 1. The infants showed a novelty preference for the static shape opposite to the habituation stimulus, together with a general preference for the static convex face. This shows that they discriminate between convex and concave faces and that habituation to either transfers across a change in view. Seven- to eight-month-olds have been shown to discriminate direction of rigid rotation on the basis of perspective changes. Our results suggest that this, perhaps together with a weaker bias to perceive faces as convex, allows these infants to see the screen-based hollow face as hollow even though adults perceive it as convex.

The rat visual system is structured such that the large (>90 %) majority of retinal ganglion axons reach the contralateral lateral geniculate nucleus (LGN) and visual cortex (V1). This anatomical design allows for the relatively selective activation of one cerebral hemisphere under monocular viewing conditions. Here, we describe the design of a harness and facemask allowing simple and noninvasive monocular occlusion in rats. The harness is constructed from synthetic fiber (shoelace-type material) and fits around the girth region and neck, allowing for easy adjustments to fit rats of various weights. The facemask consists of soft rubber material that is attached to the harness by Velcro strips. Eyeholes in the mask can be covered by additional Velcro patches to occlude either one or both eyes. Rats readily adapt to wearing the device, allowing behavioral testing under different types of viewing conditions. We show that rats successfully acquire a water-maze-based visual discrimination task under monocular viewing conditions. Following task acquisition, interocular transfer was assessed. Performance with the previously occluded, "untrained" eye was impaired, suggesting that training effects were partially confined to one cerebral hemisphere. The method described herein provides a simple and noninvasive means to restrict visual input for studies of visual processing and learning in various rodent species.

This article begins to develop an understanding of surgical mask-wearing in Japan, now a routine practice against a range of health threats. Their usage and associated meanings are explored through surveys conducted in Tokyo with both mask wearers and non-mask wearers. It contests commonly held cultural views of the practice as a fixed and distinctively Japanese collective courtesy to others. A historical analysis suggests that an originally collective, targeted and science-based response to public health threats has dispersed into a generalised practice lacking a clear end or purpose. Developed as part of the biomedical response to the Spanish flu of 1919, the practice resonated with folk assumptions as making a barrier between purity and pollution. But mask-wearing became socially embedded as a general protective practice only from the 1990s through a combination of commercial, corporate and political pressures that responsibilised individual health protection. These developments are usefully understood amidst the uncertainty created by Japan's 'second modernity' and the fracturing of her post-war order. Mask-wearing is only one form of a wider culture of risk; a self-protective risk ritual rather than a selfless collective practice.

Youth with bipolar disorder (BD) and those with severe, non-episodic irritability (severe mood dysregulation, SMD) show face-emotion labeling deficits. These groups differ from healthy volunteers (HV) in neural responses to emotional faces. It is unknown whether awareness is required to elicit these differences. We compared activation in BD (N=20), SMD (N=18), and HV (N=22) during "Aware" and "Non-aware" priming of shapes by emotional faces. Subjects rated how much they liked the shape. In aware, a face (angry, fearful, happy, neutral, blank oval) appeared (187 ms) before the shape. In non-aware, a face appeared (17 ms), followed by a mask (170 ms), and shape. A Diagnosis-by-Awareness-by-Emotion ANOVA was not significant. There were significant Diagnosis-by-Awareness interactions in occipital regions. BD and SMD showed increased activity for non-aware vs. aware; HV showed the reverse pattern. When subjects viewed angry or neutral faces, there were Emotion-by-Diagnosis interactions in face-emotion processing regions, including the L precentral gyrus, R posterior cingulate, R superior temporal gyrus, R middle occipital gyrus, and L medial frontal gyrus. Regardless of awareness, BD and SMD differ in activation patterns from HV and each other in multiple brain regions, suggesting that BD and SMD are distinct developmental mood disorders.

Full Text Available Youth with bipolar disorder (BD and those with severe, non-episodic irritability (severe mood dysregulation, SMD show face-emotion labeling deficits. These groups differ from healthy volunteers (HV in neural responses to emotional faces. It is unknown whether awareness is required to elicit these differences. We compared activation in BD (N = 20, SMD (N = 18, and HV (N = 22 during “Aware” and “Non-aware” priming of shapes by emotional faces. Subjects rated how much they liked the shape. In aware, a face (angry, fearful, happy, neutral, blank oval appeared (187 ms before the shape. In non-aware, a face appeared (17 ms, followed by a mask (170 ms, and shape. A Diagnosis-by-Awareness-by-Emotion ANOVA was not significant. There were significant Diagnosis-by-Awareness interactions in occipital regions. BD and SMD showed increased activity for non-aware vs. aware; HV showed the reverse pattern. When subjects viewed angry or neutral faces, there were Emotion-by-Diagnosis interactions in face-emotion processing regions, including the L precentral gyrus, R posterior cingulate, R superior temporal gyrus, R middle occipital gyrus, and L medial frontal gyrus. Regardless of awareness, BD and SMD differ in activation patterns from HV and each other in multiple brain regions, suggesting that BD and SMD are distinct developmental mood disorders.

OBJECTIVE: To investigate the retraction time, forces, and torques applied to the football helmet during removal of the facemask with different face-mask removal tools. DESIGN AND SETTING: Subjects retracted the facemask of a football helmet mounted to a force platform in a laboratory setting. They removed a standard facemask by cutting or removing (or both) the lateral plastic loop straps using 4 different tools: the Trainer's Angel (TA), FM Extractor (FM), power screwdriver (SD), and Quick Release System (QR) in a counterbalanced fashion. SUBJECTS: Eighteen certified athletic trainers participated in this study. MEASUREMENTS: We started measuring time when the subject picked up the tool and ended when the facemask was in a fully retracted position. Maximum forces and torques were measured from the force platform during the retraction process. RESULTS: The SD and QR retracted the facemask significantly faster than the TA and FM. Forces producing superior-inferior translation were least with the SD. The SD and QR produced less lateral translation and rotation and lateral flexion moment than the TA and FM. The FM produced less torque in the lateral flexion moment than the TA. CONCLUSIONS: Tools that removed the loop straps (SD, QR) were faster and produced less force and torque on the helmet than the tools that cut through the loop straps (TA, FM).

Facial expressions are a basic form of non-verbal communication that convey important social information to others. The relevancy of this information is highlighted by findings that backward masked facial expressions facilitate spatial attention. This attention effect appears to be mediated through a neural network consisting of the amygdala,…

Facial expressions are a basic form of non-verbal communication that convey important social information to others. The relevancy of this information is highlighted by findings that backward masked facial expressions facilitate spatial attention. This attention effect appears to be mediated through a neural network consisting of the amygdala,…

Full Text Available In the study of nonconscious processing, different methods have been used in order to renderstimuli invisible. While their properties are well described, the level at which they disruptnonconscious processing remains unclear. Yet, such accurate estimation of the depth ofnonconscious processes is crucial for a clear differentiation between conscious and nonconsciouscognition. Here, we compared the processing of facial expressions rendered invisible through gazecontingentcrowding (GCC, masking, and continuous flash suppression (CFS, three techniquesrelying on different properties of the visual system. We found that both pictures and videos of happyfaces suppressed from awareness by GCC were processed such as to bias subsequent preferencejudgments. The same stimuli manipulated with visual masking and CFS did not bias significantlypreference judgments, although they were processed such as to elicit perceptual priming. Asignificant difference in preference bias was found between GCC and CFS, but not between GCCand masking. These results provide new insights regarding the nonconscious impact of emotionalfeatures, and highlight the need for rigorous comparisons between the different methods employedto prevent perceptual awareness.

Full Text Available In order to investigate the interactions between non-spatial selective attention, awareness and emotion processing, we carried out an ERP study using a backward masking paradigm, in which angry, fearful, happy and neutral facial expressions were presented, while participants attempted to detect the presence of one or the other category of facial expressions in the different experimental blocks. ERP results showed that negative emotions enhanced an early N170 response over temporal-occipital leads in both masked and unmasked conditions, independently of selective attention. A later effect arising at the P2 was linked to awareness. Finally, selective attention was found to affect the N2 and N3 components over occipito-parietal leads. Our findings reveal that i the initial processing of facial expressions arises prior to attention and awareness; ii attention and awareness give rise to temporally distinct periods of activation independently of the type of emotion with only a partial degree of overlap; and iii selective attention appears to be influenced by the emotional nature of the stimuli, which in turn impinges on unconscious processing at a very early stage. This study confirms previous reports that negative facial expressions can be processed rapidly, in absence of visual awareness and independently of selective attention. On the other hand, attention and awareness may operate in a synergistic way, depending on task demand.

Purpose: To assess the robustness of immobilization using open-facemask technology for linac-based stereotactic radiosurgery (SRS) with multiple non-coplanar arcs via repeated CBCT acquisition, with comparison to contemporaneous optical surface tracking data. Methods: 25 patients were treated in open facedmasks with cranial SRS using 3–4 non-coplanar arcs. Repeated CBCT imaging was performed to verify the maintenance of proper patient positioning during treatment. Initial patient positioning was performed based on prescribed shifts and optical surface tracking. Positioning refinements employed rigid 3D-matching of the planning CT and CBCT images and were implemented via automated 6DOF couch control. CBCT imaging was repeated following the treatment of all non-transverse beams with associated couch kicks. Detected patient translations and rotations were recorded and automatically corrected. Optical surface tracking was applied throughout the treatments to monitor motion, and this contemporaneous patient positioning data was recorded to compare against CBCT data and 6DOF couch adjustments. Results: Initial patient positions were refined on average by translations of 3±1mm and rotations of ±0.9-degrees. Optical surface tracking corroborated couch corrections to within 1±1mm and ±0.4-degrees. Following treatment of the transverse and subsequent superior-oblique beam, average translations of 0.6±0.4mm and rotations of ±0.4-degrees were reported via CBCT, with optical surface tracking in agreement to within 1.1±0.6mm and ±0.6-degrees. Following treatment of the third beam, CBCT indicated additional translations of 0.4±0.2mm and rotations of ±0.3-degrees. Cumulative couch corrections resulted in 0.7 ± 0.4mm average magnitude translations and rotations of ±0.4-degrees. Conclusion: Based on CBCT measurements of patients during SRS, the open facemask maintained patient positioning to within 1.5mm and 1-degree with >95% confidence. Patient positioning

The authors explored three properties of basic, unconsciously triggered affective reactions: They can influence consequential behavior, they work without eliciting conscious feelings, and they interact with motivation. The authors investigated these properties by testing the influence of subliminally presented happy versus angry faces on pouring and consumption of beverage (Study 1), perception of beverage value (Study 2), and reports of conscious feelings (both studies). Consistent with incentive motivation theory, the impact of affective primes on beverage value and consumption was strongest for thirsty participants. Subliminal smiles caused thirsty participants to pour and consume more beverage (Study 1) and increased their willingness to pay and their wanting more beverage (Study 2). Subliminal frowns had the opposite effect. No feeling changes were observed, even in thirsty participants. The results suggest that basic affective reactions can be unconscious and interact with incentive motivation to influence assessment of value and behavior toward valenced objects.

Full Text Available Objective: Discomfort and noncompliance with noninvasive ventilation (NIV interfaces are obstacles to NIV success. Total facemasks (TFMs are considered to be a very comfortable NIV interface. However, due to their large internal volume and consequent increased CO2 rebreathing, their orifices allow proximal leaks to enhance CO2 elimination. The ventilators used in the ICU might not adequately compensate for such leakage. In this study, we attempted to determine whether ICU ventilators in NIV mode are suitable for use with a leaky TFM. Methods: This was a bench study carried out in a university research laboratory. Eight ICU ventilators equipped with NIV mode and one NIV ventilator were connected to a TFM with major leaks. All were tested at two positive end-expiratory pressure (PEEP levels and three pressure support levels. The variables analyzed were ventilation trigger, cycling off, total leak, and pressurization. Results: Of the eight ICU ventilators tested, four did not work (autotriggering or inappropriate turning off due to misdetection of disconnection; three worked with some problems (low PEEP or high cycling delay; and one worked properly. Conclusions: The majority of the ICU ventilators tested were not suitable for NIV with a leaky TFM.

A new hidden Markov module (HMM) based face recognition system is presented in this paper. Face images were extracted automatically from live videos captured by a Creative WebCam,and faces were recognized in real time using an improved HMM face recognition algorithm. A fast face detection algorithm using boosted Haar-like features was applied initially to detect faces regions from the video stream. The detected face region was further refined by a skin color masking module to achieve more accurate face position. To improve the accuracy of HMM based face recognition algorithm, discrete wavelet transform, instead of discrete cosine transform, was used to extract observation sequences for HMM. Experiments were conducted using two face databases:the ORL database and the Nottingham color face image database. The results on both databases show that the proposed method can improve the accuracy by more than six percents. Further improvement has been observed when a skin masking module is used to refine the detected face region.%介绍一种基于隐马尔可夫模型(hidden Markov module,HMM)的人脸识别系统,该系统对人脸采用普通网络摄像头实时检测,通过皮肤模型进行背景去除,并用改进后的HMM算法进行识别. 实验结果表明,改进后的HMM算法能提高原HMM算法的准确率,采用皮肤模板对检测到的人脸进行精确定位后,进一步提高了识别算法的准确度.

The prevalence of Angle Class III malocclusion is relatively high in Taiwan. For children who suffer from maxillary retrognathia, facemask therapy is a promising treatment modality. The purpose of this study was to evaluate the changes in midfacial configuration after facemask therapy in skeletal Class III growing patients by morphometric analysis techniques. Thirty children who had been treated with facemasks were compared with a group of 30 gender-matched, age-matched, observation period-matched, and craniofacial configuration-matched subjects with untreated Class III malocclusions. Average geometries, scaled to an equivalent size, were generated by means of Procrustes analysis. Graphical analysis, utilizing thin-plate spline analysis and strain tensor methods, was performed for localization of differences in shape and size changes. Maximum and minimum principal extensions were drawn to express the directions of shape change. Maxillary protraction-induced changes resulted from a combination of both orthopedic and dental effects. A significant increase in size (7.7% to 9.9%) was noted at the supero-anterior region of the midfacial configuration (rhinion-orbitale-midpalatal point-anterior nasal spine) when subjected to an extraoral traction force; 7.7% to 12.1% of increase in size and 14.4% to 33.4% of change in shape were found at the anterior portion of the maxillary alveolar bone. The directions and amount of principal strain tensors could express the magnitudes and directions of morphological changes within the midfacial complex in an efficient way. We conclude that morphometric analysis techniques can be used to evaluate the changes in midfacial configuration after facemask therapy and can provide a valuable supplement for conventional cephalometric analysis.

Cleft lip and palate patients usually have deficient maxilla due to postsurgical scars. The aim this study was to compare the effectiveness of miniplates-anchored face-mask therapy versus intermaxillary elastics to miniplates for maxillary traction in cleft lip and palate patients. This clinical trial included 11 prepubertal patients with cleft lip and palate. Initially, a w-arch expander was cemented and activated 3 mm per month to overcorrect the crossbite. Then, the patients were divided into 2 groups: mini-plate-anchored face-mask (n = 5): 2 miniplates were placed in the maxilla and the patients were instructed to wear a face-mask for 12 to 14 hours/per day. Intermaxillary elastics to miniplates (n = 6): 2 miniplates were inserted in the maxilla; 1 on each side and 2 miniplates were placed in the anterior mandible on both sides. Intermaxillary elastics with a force of 250 g per side were attached to the hooks. Cephalometric parameters before treatment (T1) and after achieving positive overjet (T2) were compared between the 2 groups. Fisher exact, paired, and independent t tests were used for statistical comparison. At T1 or T2 there was not a significant difference between the 2 groups in the skeletal, dental, and soft tissue variables. According to results of our preliminary study, intermaxillary elastics to miniplates might have a promising effect as an alternative for facemask therapy in maxillary protraction of cleft lip and palate patients.

Full Text Available "nBackground and Aim: Among different treatments of patients with Class III malocclusion , orthopedic protraction of maxilla has been known as an effective method in mixed dentition period. The aim of this study was to evaluate the cephalometric changes of Cl III patients in mixed dentition period following facemask therapy and slow maxillary expansion. "nMaterials and Methods: This was a before-after study which was conducted on 10 children in mixed dentition period, who had class III malocclusion and maxillary deficiency according to the Stiener and Mc Namara's analysis. The patients were all treated by protraction facemask and slow maxillary expansion. The cephalometric changes of maxilla , mandible and dental relations during the treatment were analyzed by Paired sample T Test. P<0.05 was considered as the level of significant. "nResults: The overjet increasement was 1.7mm. Co. ANS distance improvement was 5.6mm, Ptm.ANS distance increasing was 3mm, and ultimately improvement of Gf.s distance was 1.5mm which were all statistically significant (p<0.05. "nConclusion: Based on the results of this study, facemask therapy with slow maxillary expansion is able to improve the horizotal position of maxilla, in patients with Cl III malocclusion , in mixed dentition period.

Objective The Theory of Structural Dissociation of the Personality (TSDP) proposes that dissociative identity disorder (DID) patients are fixed in traumatic memories as “Emotional Parts” (EP), but mentally avoid these as “Apparently Normal Parts” of the personality (ANP). We tested the hypotheses that ANP and EP have different biopsychosocial reactions to subliminally presented angry and neutral faces, and that actors instructed and motivated to simulate ANP and EP react differently. Methods Women with DID and matched healthy female actors (CON) were as ANP and EP (DIDanp, DIDep, CONanp, CONep) consecutively exposed to masked neutral and angry faces. Their brain activation was monitored using functional magnetic resonance imaging. The black-and-white dotted masks preceding and following the faces each had a centered colored dot, but in a different color. Participants were instructed to immediately press a button after a perceived color change. State anxiety was assessed after each run using the STAI-S. Final statistical analyses were conducted on 11 DID patients and 15 controls for differences in neural activity, and 13 DID patients and 15 controls for differences in behavior and psychometric measures. Results Differences between ANP and EP in DID patients and between DID and CON in the two dissociative parts of the personality were generally larger for neutral than for angry faces. The longest reaction times (RTs) existed for DIDep when exposed to neutral faces. Compared to DIDanp, DIDep was associated with more activation of the parahippocampal gyrus. Following neutral faces and compared to CONep, DIDep had more activation in the brainstem, face-sensitive regions, and motor-related areas. DIDanp showed a decreased activity all over the brain in the neutral and angry face condition. There were neither significant within differences nor significant between group differences in state anxiety. CON was not able to simulate genuine ANP and EP biopsychosocially

This article examines three issues: (1) the use, over time, of facemasks in a public setting to prevent the spread of a respiratory disease for which the mortality rate is unknown; (2) the difference between the responses of male and female subjects in a public setting to unknown risks; and (3) the effectiveness of mandatory and voluntary public health measures in a public health emergency. The use of facemasks to prevent the spread of respiratory diseases in a public setting is controversial. At the height of the influenza epidemic in Mexico City in the spring of 2009, the federal government of Mexico recommended that passengers on public transport use facemasks to prevent contagion. The Mexico City government made the use of facemasks mandatory for bus and taxi drivers, but enforcement procedures differed for these two categories. Using an evidence-based approach, we collected data on the use of facemasks over a 2-week period. In the specific context of the Mexico City influenza outbreak, these data showed mask usage rates mimicked the course of the epidemic and gender difference in compliance rates among metro passengers. Moreover, there was not a significant difference in compliance with mandatory and voluntary public health measures where the effect of the mandatory measures was diminished by insufficiently severe penalties, the lack of market forces to create compliance incentives and sufficient political influence to diminish enforcement. Voluntary compliance was diminished by lack of trust in the government. Copyright 2009 Elsevier Ireland Ltd. All rights reserved.

Three studies investigated developmental changes in facial expression processing, between 3 years-of-age and adulthood. For adults and older children, the addition of sunglasses to upright faces caused an equivalent decrement in performance to face inversion. However, younger children showed "better" classification of expressions of faces wearing…

Three studies investigated developmental changes in facial expression processing, between 3 years-of-age and adulthood. For adults and older children, the addition of sunglasses to upright faces caused an equivalent decrement in performance to face inversion. However, younger children showed "better" classification of expressions of faces wearing…

Full Text Available OBJECTIVE: The aim of this prospective study was to assess potential changes in the cephalometric craniofacial growth pattern of 17 children presenting Angle Class III malocclusion treated with a Haas-type expander combined with a facemask. METHODS: Lateral cephalometric radiographs were taken at beginning (T1 and immediately after removal of the appliances (T2, average of 11 months of treatment. Linear and angular measurements were used to evaluate the cranial base, dentoskeletal changes and facial growth pattern. RESULTS: The length of the anterior cranial base experienced a reduction while the posterior cranial base assumed a more vertical position at T1. Some maxillary movement occurred, there was no rotation of the palatal plane, there was a slight clockwise rotation of the mandible, although not significant. The ANB angle increased, thereby improving the relationship between the jaws; dentoalveolar compensation was more evident in the lower incisors. Five out of 12 cases (29.41% showed the following changes: In one case the pattern became more horizontal and in four cases more vertical. CONCLUSIONS: It was concluded after a short-term assessment that treatment with rapid maxillary expansion (RME associated with a facemask was effective in the correction of Class III malocclusion despite the changes in facial growth pattern observed in a few cases.

Full Text Available A 6-year 8-month-old girl presented with a moderate Class III malocclusion characterized by mid-face deficiency and an anterior cross bite. In the first phase, the patient was treated with combination of reverse twin block and facemask therapy. In phase two, fixed appliances were placed in the permanent dentition. The post treatment results were good and a favorable growth tendency could be observed. The correction of the Class III malocclusion occurred by a combination of skeletal and dental improvements. This report shows successful correction of skeletal Class III malocclusion in the early transitional dentition using combination therapy.

A 6-year 8-month-old girl presented with a moderate Class III malocclusion characterized by mid-face deficiency and an anterior cross bite. In the first phase, the patient was treated with combination of reverse twin block and facemask therapy. In phase two, fixed appliances were placed in the permanent dentition. The post treatment results were good and a favorable growth tendency could be observed. The correction of the Class III malocclusion occurred by a combination of skeletal and dental improvements. This report shows successful correction of skeletal Class III malocclusion in the early transitional dentition using combination therapy.

This gilded silver mask from the Liao Dynasty is 31 cm long and 22.2 cm wide. The plump oval face was designed with a protruding brow ridge, narrow eyes, high-bridged nose and closed mouth. The chin is slightly round against a thin neck, the ears are long and the hair can be clearly seen from the finely carved lines. The use of masks was recorded as

To test the null hypothesis that there were significant differences for skeletal, dentoalveolar, and soft tissue changes induced by facemask (FM) started simultaneously and after an alternate rapid maxillary expansion and constriction (Alt-RAMEC) procedure. Thirty-six patients with Class III malocclusion due to maxillary deficiency were randomly assigned to Group I (FM started after the completion of the Alt-RAMEC) and Group II (FM started simultaneously with the Alt-RAMEC). The screw of the RME appliance was alternately activated and deactivated twice daily (0.20 mm per turn) for 1 week over the course of 8 weeks. The changes observed in both groups were assessed using the cephalometric lateral films and statistically evaluated using the paired t-test and Student's t-test. Thirty patients completed the present prospective study. No significant differences were observed between the groups. Class III malocclusion and negative overjet were improved by means of skeletal changes in conjunction with upper incisor proclination in both groups. Skeletal contribution to overjet correction in Groups I and II was 91.70% and 86.10%, respectively. Maxilla showed a forward movement of 3.84 mm and 3.02 mm in Groups I and II, respectively. The null hypothesis was rejected. Both groups showed similar results, and, thus, waiting until completion of the Alt-RAMEC procedure for the FM treatment is not necessary.

A new type of airway has been widely used for two years, throughout hospitals in the United Kingdom. Designed and created since 1983 by Dr AIJ Brain, the Laryngeal Mask Airway (LMA) is a compromise between the endotracheal tube and the face-mask. Blindly inserted in an anaesthetized patient, without either a laryngoscope or neuromuscular blockade, it provides a good airway in almost all cases. It is often able to offer an effective alternative to difficult intubation. The LMA can be used with either spontaneous or positive pressure ventilation. Because it doesn't provide a reliable protection of the airway from aspiration, it should never be used in the patient with a full stomach. The spontaneously breathing patient, undergoing elective surgery for 15 to 60 minutes, in supine position, who would ordinarily be managed with a face-mask is the more likely candidate for the LMA. But, longer procedures, in lateral or prone position, with controlled ventilation can usually be carried out using the Brain's device. More effective and less demanding than the facial-mask, much less hurtful than the endotracheal tube, the Laryngeal Mask is potentially an important and valuable addition to anaesthetic care.

For high precision radiotherapy of the neurocranium a precise, reproducible positioning technique is the basic prerequisite. The aim of this study was to assess the influence of a modification of the commercially available stereotactical BrainLab-head mask system on accuracy in patient positioning during fractionated radiotherapy. 29 patients were treated with stereotactic radiotherapy of the head. Immobilization was provided by a two layer thermoplastic mask system (BrainLab). 18 of these patients received an additional custom made fixation either of the upper jaw (OKF) or of the mandibula (UKF). The positioning accuracy was assessed by measurements of the shifting of anatomical landmarks in relation to the rigid mask system on biplanar simulator films using a digital imaging system. Before each measurement a fine adjustment of the simulator to an optical ring system was performed. The reference radiographs were done just before CT-planning. During a 2-7 weeks lasting course of radiotherapy displacement measurements in relation to the reference images for all three dimensions (z, y and x) were done once a week. In 29 patients 844 measurements were analyzed. An additional jaw fixation improves the reproducibility of patient positioning significantly in all three spatial dimensions. The standard deviation in lateral direction (x) was 0.6 mm with jaw fixation vs. 0.7 mm without jaw fixation (p jaw fixation can be acquired. The variability of positioning can be reduced especially in the z-direction. A further reduction of the safety margin around the target volume--especially in benign tumors--is possible by improved fixation technique.

Full Text Available OBJECTIVE: To identify which noninvasive ventilation (NIV masks are most commonly used and the problems related to the adaptation to such masks in critically ill patients admitted to a hospital in the city of São Paulo, Brazil. METHODS: An observational study involving patients ≥ 18 years of age admitted to intensive care units and submitted to NIV. The reason for NIV use, type of mask, NIV regimen, adaptation to the mask, and reasons for non-adaptation to the mask were investigated. RESULTS: We evaluated 245 patients, with a median age of 82 years. Acute respiratory failure was the most common reason for NIV use (in 71.3%. Total facemasks were the most commonly used (in 74.7%, followed by full facemasks and near-total facemasks (in 24.5% and 0.8%, respectively. Intermittent NIV was used in 82.4% of the patients. Adequate adaptation to the mask was found in 76% of the patients. Masks had to be replaced by another type of mask in 24% of the patients. Adequate adaptation to total facemasks and full facemasks was found in 75.5% and 80.0% of the patients, respectively. Non-adaptation occurred in the 2 patients using near-total facial masks. The most common reason for non-adaptation was the shape of the face, in 30.5% of the patients. CONCLUSIONS: In our sample, acute respiratory failure was the most common reason for NIV use, and total facemasks were the most commonly used. The most common reason for non-adaptation to the mask was the shape of the face, which was resolved by changing the type of mask employed.

Masks can represent so many things, such as emotions (happy, sad, fearful) and power. The familiar "comedy and tragedy" masks, derived from ancient Greek theater, are just one example from mask history. Death masks from the ancient Egyptians influenced the ancient Romans into creating similar masks for their departed. Masks can represent many…

Masks can represent so many things, such as emotions (happy, sad, fearful) and power. The familiar "comedy and tragedy" masks, derived from ancient Greek theater, are just one example from mask history. Death masks from the ancient Egyptians influenced the ancient Romans into creating similar masks for their departed. Masks can represent many…

Full Text Available This article seeks to examine the literary pleasures derived from Bob Dylan’s songs, paying special attention to how Dylan’s poetical texts are performed and rhythmically rewritten by his voice, as well as the ways in which Dylan uses the songs to “write himself” through the creation of numerous and competing *personae*. Close reading of the lyrics, this article argues, must therefore be supplemented by a “poetics of the voice” and a detailed analysis of the theatricality of his “games of masks.” While a stylistic approach to the lyrics reveals a thrust towards *writerly* openness and new poetical idioms that fuse oral traditions with high poetry, the aesthetic and semantic uses Dylan makes of his voice are equally sophisticated. A study of Dylan’s “masks” will show that the artist uses archetypal poetic identities (prophet, trickster, man of sorrow, and so on as fictional figurations of himself offered to the audience.

A Noh mask, worn by expert actors during performance on the Japanese traditional Noh drama, conveys various emotional expressions despite its fixed physical properties. How does the mask change its expressions? Shadows change subtly during the actual Noh drama, which plays a key role in creating elusive artistic enchantment. We here describe evidence from two experiments regarding how attached shadows of the Noh masks influence the observers' recognition of the emotional expressions. In Experiment 1, neutral-faced Noh masks having the attached shadows of the happy/sad masks were recognized as bearing happy/sad expressions, respectively. This was true for all four types of masks each of which represented a character differing in sex and age, even though the original characteristics of the masks also greatly influenced the evaluation of emotions. Experiment 2 further revealed that frontal Noh mask images having shadows of upward/downward tilted masks were evaluated as sad/happy, respectively. This was consistent with outcomes from preceding studies using actually tilted Noh mask images. Results from the two experiments concur that purely manipulating attached shadows of the different types of Noh masks significantly alters the emotion recognition. These findings go in line with the mysterious facial expressions observed in Western paintings, such as the elusive qualities of Mona Lisa's smile. They also agree with the aesthetic principle of Japanese traditional art "yugen (profound grace and subtlety)", which highly appreciates subtle emotional expressions in the darkness.

Full Text Available BACKGROUND: A Noh mask, worn by expert actors during performance on the Japanese traditional Noh drama, conveys various emotional expressions despite its fixed physical properties. How does the mask change its expressions? Shadows change subtly during the actual Noh drama, which plays a key role in creating elusive artistic enchantment. We here describe evidence from two experiments regarding how attached shadows of the Noh masks influence the observers' recognition of the emotional expressions. METHODOLOGY/PRINCIPAL FINDINGS: In Experiment 1, neutral-faced Noh masks having the attached shadows of the happy/sad masks were recognized as bearing happy/sad expressions, respectively. This was true for all four types of masks each of which represented a character differing in sex and age, even though the original characteristics of the masks also greatly influenced the evaluation of emotions. Experiment 2 further revealed that frontal Noh mask images having shadows of upward/downward tilted masks were evaluated as sad/happy, respectively. This was consistent with outcomes from preceding studies using actually tilted Noh mask images. CONCLUSIONS/SIGNIFICANCE: Results from the two experiments concur that purely manipulating attached shadows of the different types of Noh masks significantly alters the emotion recognition. These findings go in line with the mysterious facial expressions observed in Western paintings, such as the elusive qualities of Mona Lisa's smile. They also agree with the aesthetic principle of Japanese traditional art "yugen (profound grace and subtlety", which highly appreciates subtle emotional expressions in the darkness.

Full Text Available Avian influenza (bird flu is a disease of birds caused by influenza viruses closely related to human influenza viruses. The potential for transformation of avian influenza into a form that both causes severe disease in humans and spreads easily from person to person is a great concern for world health. The main purpose of a mask is to help prevent particles (droplets being expelled into the environment by the wearer. Masks are also resistant to fluids, and help protect the wearer from splashes of blood or other potentially infectious substances. They are not necessarily designed for filtration efficiency, or to seal tightly to the face. Masks and respirators are components of a number of infection control measures intended to protect healthcare workers, and prevent the spread of diseases. All healthcare workers who come into contact with a possible or probable case of any respiratory track infections should wear a respirator conforming to at least EN149:2001 FFP3. [TAF Prev Med Bull 2006; 5(4.000: 296-306

Full Text Available Visual masking is a frequently used tool in schizophrenia research. Visual masking has a very high sensitivity and specificity and masking paradigms have been proven to be endophenotypes. Whereas masking is a powerful technique to study schizophrenia, the underlying mechanisms are discussed controversially. For example, for more than 25 years, masking deficits of schizophrenia patients were mainly attributed to a deficient magno-cellular system (M-system. Here, we show that there is very little evidence that masking deficits are magno-cellular deficits. We will discuss the magno-cellular and other approaches in detail and highlight their pros and cons.

Background A Noh mask, worn by expert actors during performance on the Japanese traditional Noh drama, conveys various emotional expressions despite its fixed physical properties. How does the mask change its expressions? Shadows change subtly during the actual Noh drama, which plays a key role in creating elusive artistic enchantment. We here describe evidence from two experiments regarding how attached shadows of the Noh masks influence the observers’ recognition of the emotional expressions. Methodology/Principal Findings In Experiment 1, neutral-faced Noh masks having the attached shadows of the happy/sad masks were recognized as bearing happy/sad expressions, respectively. This was true for all four types of masks each of which represented a character differing in sex and age, even though the original characteristics of the masks also greatly influenced the evaluation of emotions. Experiment 2 further revealed that frontal Noh mask images having shadows of upward/downward tilted masks were evaluated as sad/happy, respectively. This was consistent with outcomes from preceding studies using actually tilted Noh mask images. Conclusions/Significance Results from the two experiments concur that purely manipulating attached shadows of the different types of Noh masks significantly alters the emotion recognition. These findings go in line with the mysterious facial expressions observed in Western paintings, such as the elusive qualities of Mona Lisa’s smile. They also agree with the aesthetic principle of Japanese traditional art “yugen (profound grace and subtlety)”, which highly appreciates subtle emotional expressions in the darkness. PMID:23940748

As design rule continues to shrink, microlithography is becoming more challenging and the photomasks need to comply with high scanner laser energy, low CDU, and ever more aggressive RETs. This give rise to numerous challenges in the semiconductor wafer fabrication plants. Some of these challenges being contamination (mainly haze and particles), mask pattern degradation (MoSi oxidation, chrome migration, etc.) and pellicle degradation. Fabs are constantly working to establish an efficient methodology to manage these challenges mainly using mask inspection, wafer inspection, SEM review and CD SEMs. Aerial technology offers a unique opportunity to address the above mask related challenges using one tool. The Applied Materials Aera3TM system has the inherent ability to inspect for defects (haze, particles, etc.), and track mask degradation (e.g. CDU). This paper focuses on haze monitoring, which is still a significant challenge in semiconductor manufacturing, and mask degradation effects that are starting to emerge as the next challenge for high volume semiconductor manufacturers. The paper describes Aerial inspector (Aera3) early haze methodology and mask degradation tracking related to high volume manufacturing. These will be demonstrated on memory products. At the end of the paper we take a brief look on subsequent work currently conducted on the more general issue of photo mask degradation monitoring by means of an Aerial inspector.

Microelectronics industry leaders routinely name mask cost and cycle time as top issues of concern. A survey was created with support from International SEMATECH (ISMT) and administered by SEMI North America to gather information about the mask industry as an objective assessment of its overall condition. The survey is designed with the input of mask technologists from semiconductor manufacturers, merchant mask suppliers, and makers of equipment for mask fabrication. This year's assessment is the third in the current series of annual reports and is intended to be used as a baseline for the mask industry and the microelectronics industry to gain a perspective on the technical and business status of the mask industry. This report will continue to serve as a valuable reference to identify the strengths and opportunities of the mask industry. The results may be used to guide future investments on critical path issues. This year's survey builds upon the 2003 survey to provide an ongoing database using the same questions as a baseline with only a few minor changes or additions. Questions are grouped into categories: general business profile information, data processing, yields and yield loss mechanisms, delivery times, returns and services. Within each category are a many questions that create a detailed profile of both the business and technical status of the mask industry. This assessment includes inputs from ten major global merchant and captive mask manufacturers whose revenue represents approximately 85% of the global mask market.

A comprehensive survey was sent to merchant and captive mask shops to gather information about the mask industry as an objective assessment of its overall condition. 2013 marks the 12th consecutive year for this process. Historical topics including general mask profile, mask processing, data and write time, yield and yield loss, delivery times, maintenance, and returns were included and new topics were added. Within each category are multiple questions that result in a detailed profile of both the business and technical status of the mask industry. While each year's survey includes minor updates based on feedback from past years and the need to collect additional data on key topics, the bulk of the survey and reporting structure have remained relatively constant. A series of improvements is being phased in beginning in 2013 to add value to a wider audience, while at the same time retaining the historical content required for trend analyses of the traditional metrics. Additions in 2013 include topics such as top challenges, future concerns, and additional details in key aspects of maskmasking, such as the number of masks per mask set per ground rule, minimum mask resolution shipped, and yield by ground rule. These expansions beyond the historical topics are aimed at identifying common issues, gaps, and needs. They will also provide a better understanding of real-life mask requirements and capabilities for comparison to the International Technology Roadmap for Semiconductors (ITRS).

The introduction of Extreme Ultraviolet Lithography (EUV) as a replacement for multiple patterning is based on improvements of cycle time, yield, and cost. Earlier cost studies have assumed a simple assumption that EUV masks (being more complex with the multilayer coated blank) are not more than three times as expensive as advanced ArFi (ArF immersion) masks. EUV masks are expected to be more expensive during the ramp of the technology because of the added cost of the complex mask blank, the use of EUV specific mask tools, and a ramp of yield learning relative to the more mature technologies. This study concludes that, within a range of scenarios, the hypothesis that EUV mask costs are not more than three times that of advanced ArFi masks is valid and conservative.

To investigate whether gender difference has an effect on an anesthesia resident's ability to perform successful mask ventilation. Cohort study. Surgical operation theater of a university-affiliated hospital. 839 ASA physical status I, II, and III patients undergoing general anesthesia performed by residents. Mask ventilation was performed by 21 different anesthesia residents. Difficult mask ventilation was defined as the inability of an unassisted resident to maintain oxygen saturation, significant gas flow leakage beneath the facemask, need to increase gas flow, no perceptible chest movement, assistance required using a two-handed mask ventilation technique, or use of the oxygen flush valve more than twice. Instances of difficult mask ventilation were observed in 210 patients (25.0%), though all were adequately ventilated with a facemask. Difficult mask ventilation was observed significantly more often with female (29.8%) than male (20.0%) residents. Residents' gender was shown to be an independent risk factor for difficult mask ventilation. Gender difference has an effect on the mask ventilation learning process, as it was more difficult for female residents to provide a tight air seal in the early stage of training.

The purpose of this thesis is to examine how binary masking can be used to increase intelligibility in situations where hearing impaired listeners have difficulties understanding what is being said. The major part of the experiments carried out in this thesis can be categorized as either experime...... mask using a directional system and a method for correcting errors in the target binary mask. The last part of the thesis, proposes a new method for objective evaluation of speech intelligibility....

Microelectronics industry leaders routinely name mask technology and mask supply issues of cost and cycle time as top issues of concern. A survey was initiated in 2002 with support from International SEMATECH (ISMT) and administered by SEMI North America to gather information about the mask industry as an objective assessment of its overall condition.1 This paper presents the results of the second annual survey which is an enhanced version of the inaugural survey building upon its strengths and improving the weak points. The original survey was designed with the input of member company mask technologists, merchant mask suppliers, and industry equipment makers. The assessment is intended to be used as a baseline for the mask industry and the microelectronics industry to gain a perspective on the technical and business status of the critical mask industry. An objective is to create a valuable reference to identify strengths and opportunities and to guide investments on critical-path issues. As subsequent years are added, historical profiles can also be created. This assessment includes inputs from ten major global merchant and captive mask manufacturers representing approximately 80% of the global mask market (using revenue as the measure) and making this the most comprehensive mask industry survey ever. The participating companies are: Compugraphics, Dai Nippon Printing, Dupont Photomask, Hoya, IBM, Infineon, Intel, Taiwan Mask Company, Toppan, and TSMC. Questions are grouped into five categories: General Business Profile Information; Data Processing; Yields and Yield loss Mechanisms; Delivery Time; and Returns and Services. Within each category are a multitude of questions that create a detailed profile of both the business and technical status of the mask industry.

We report, for the first time, the concept and generation of a novel Fresnel hologram called the digital binary mask programmable hologram (BMPH). A BMPH is comprised of a static, high resolution binary grating that is overlaid with a lower resolution binary mask. The reconstructed image of the BMPH can be programmed to approximate a target image (including both intensity and depth information) by configuring the pattern of the binary mask with a simple genetic algorithm (SGA). As the low resolution binary mask can be realized with less stringent display technology, our method enables the development of simple and economical holographic video display.

Microelectronics industry leaders routinely name mask cost and cycle time as top issues of concern. A survey was created with support from International SEMATECH (ISMT) and administered by SEMI North America to gather information about the mask industry as an objective assessment of its overall condition. The survey is designed with the input of mask technologists from semiconductor manufacturers, merchant mask suppliers, and makers of equipment for mask fabrication. This year's assessment is the fourth in the current series of annual reports and is intended to be used as a baseline for the mask industry and the microelectronics industry to gain a perspective on the technical and business status of the mask industry. This report will continue to serve as a valuable reference to identify the strengths and opportunities of the mask industry. The results may be used to guide future investments on critical path issues. This year's survey contains all of the 2004 survey questions to provide an ongoing database. Additional questions were added to the survey covering operating cost factors and equipment utilization. Questions are grouped into categories: general business profile information, data processing, yields and yield loss mechanisms, delivery times, returns and services, operating cost factors and equipment utilization. Within each category are a many questions that create a detailed profile of both the business and technical status of the mask industry. This assessment includes inputs from eight major global merchant and captive mask manufacturers whose revenue represents approximately 85% of the global mask market. This participation rate is reduced by one captive from 2004. Note: Toppan, DuPont Photomasks Inc and AMTC (new) were consolidated into one input therefore the 2004 and 2005 surveys are basically equivalent.

In visual backward masking, the perception of a target is influenced by a trailing mask. Masking is usually explained by local interactions between the target and the mask representations. However, recently it has been shown that the global spatial layout of the mask rather than its local structure determines masking strength (Hermens & Herzog, 2007). Here, we varied the mask layout by spatial, luminance, and temporal cues. We presented a vernier target followed by a mask with 25 elements. Performance deteriorated when the length of the two mask elements neighboring the target vernier was doubled. However, when the length of every second mask element was doubled, performance improved. When the luminance of the neighboring elements was doubled, performance also deteriorated but no improvement in performance was observed when every second element had a double luminance. For temporal manipulations, a complex nonmonotonic masking function was observed. Hence, changes in the mask layout by spatial, luminance, and temporal cues lead to highly different results.

People sometimes wear masks. Abusive expression may be used to convey love while polite words can be exchanged among enemies. This essay describes and discusses this special phenomenon in communication and analyzes the elements that con-tribute to the success of a mask communication.

Background Anxiety and fear frequently causes an aversion to applying a facemask and increases difficulty during pediatric induction.There is at present little study of this problem.Therefore,the aim of this study was to investigate the effect of the combination of mask preconditioning and midazolam pretrealment on mask acceptance during pediatric induction and on postoperative mask fear.Methods One hundred and sixty children were randomly assigned into four groups:the mask preconditioning group (MaG),the midazolam pretreatment group (MiG),the mask/midazolam combination group (Ma/MiG),and the saline group (SaG).The Modified Yale Preoperative Anxiety Scale (m-YPAS) was employed to assess the anxiety in the operation room (OR).A Mask Acceptance Score (MAS) was measured during inhalational induction and the incidence of mask fear (MAS ≤2) was evaluated postoperatively.Results The MaG and Ma/MiG groups had the highest mask acceptance scores but there were no differences between these two groups (P ＜0.05).The average anxiety level of children entering the OR was much lower in the MaG and Ma/MiG groups than in the SaG group (P ＜0.05).During induction,the anxiety level increased in the SaG and MaG groups but decreased in the MiG and Ma/MiG groups (P ＜0.05).At the postoperative third day,the incidence of mask fears was as high as 23％ in the SaG group,15％ in the MiG group,but only 2.5％ in the MaG and Ma/MiG groups.Conclusions The single use of mask preconditioning has a better influence than midazolam for increasing mask acceptance during inhalational induction and reducing postoperative mask fear,reducing the anxiety level during induction,improving induction compliance and shortening the total mask time.A mask preconditioning and midazolam combination did not increase mask acceptance during inhalational induction,reduce mask fears postoperatively,improve induction compliance,nor shorten the total mask time.But it can better reduce the anxiety level during

Deep reactive ion etching is essential for creating high aspect ratio micro-structures for microelectromechanical systems, sensors and actuators, and emerging flexible electronics. A novel hybrid dual soft/hard mask bilayer may be deposited during semiconductor manufacturing for deep reactive etches. Such a manufacturing process may include depositing a first mask material on a substrate; depositing a second mask material on the first mask material; depositing a third mask material on the second mask material; patterning the third mask material with a pattern corresponding to one or more trenches for transfer to the substrate; transferring the pattern from the third mask material to the second mask material; transferring the pattern from the second mask material to the first mask material; and/or transferring the pattern from the first mask material to the substrate.

Full Text Available OBJECTIVE: Failure of noninvasive ventilation (NIV has been associated with short-term adverse effects related to the use of masks. The aim of this study was to compare the incidence, type and intensity of adverse effects, as well as the comfort, of total facemasks (TFMs, facial masks (FMs and nasal masks (NMs during NIV. METHODS: This was a randomized crossover trial involving 24 healthy volunteers submitted to six sessions of NIV in bilevel positive airway pressure mode using the TFM, FM and NM masks at low and moderate-to-high pressure levels. A written questionnaire was applied in order to evaluate eleven specific adverse effects related to the use of the masks. Comfort was assessed using a visual analog scale. The CO2 exhaled into the ventilator circuit was measured between the mask and the exhalation port. RESULTS: The performance of the TFM was similar to that of the NM and FM in terms of comfort scores. Higher pressure levels reduced comfort and increased adverse effects, regardless of the mask type. When the TFM was used, there were fewer air leaks and less pain at the nose bridge, although there was greater oronasal dryness and claustrophobia. Air leaks were most pronounced when the FM was used. The partial pressure of exhaled CO2 entering the ventilator circuit was zero for the TFM. CONCLUSIONS: The short-term adverse effects caused by NIV interfaces are related to mask type and pressure settings. The TFM is a reliable alternative to the NM and FM. Rebreathing of CO2 from the circuit is less likely to occur when a TFM is used.OBJETIVO: Falhas da ventilação não-invasiva (VNI têm sido relacionadas a efeitos adversos agudos do uso de máscaras. O objetivo deste estudo foi comparar a incidência, tipo e intensidade de eventos adversos e conforto das máscaras facial total (MFT, facial (MF e nasal (MN. MÉTODOS: Estudo randomizado, tipo cruzado, em 24 voluntários sadios submetidos a seis períodos de VNI, modo bilevel positive airway

A reliable thermal face recognition system can enhance the national security applications such as prevention against terrorism, surveillance, monitoring and tracking, especially at nighttime. The system can be applied at airports, customs or high-alert facilities (e.g., nuclear power plant) for 24 hours a day. In this paper, we propose a novel face recognition approach utilizing thermal (long wave infrared) face images that can automatically identify a subject at both daytime and nighttime. With a properly acquired thermal image (as a query image) in monitoring zone, the following processes will be employed: normalization and denoising, face detection, face alignment, facemasking, Gabor wavelet transform, face pattern words (FPWs) creation, face identification by similarity measure (Hamming distance). If eyeglasses are present on a subject's face, an eyeglasses mask will be automatically extracted from the querying face image, and then masked with all comparing FPWs (no more transforms). A high identification rate (97.44% with Top-1 match) has been achieved upon our preliminary face dataset (of 39 subjects) from the proposed approach regardless operating time and glasses-wearing condition.e

Mask technology development has accelerated dramatically in recent years from the glacial pace of the last three decades to the rapid and sometimes simultaneous introductions of new wavelengths and mask-based resolution enhancement techniques. The nature of the semiconductor business has also become one driven by time-to-market as an overwhelming factor in capturing market share and profit. These are among the factors that have created enormous stress on the mask industry to produce masks with enhanced capabilities, such as phase-shifting attenuators, sub-resolution assist bars, and optical proximity correction (OPC) features, while maintaining or reducing cost and cycle time. The mask can no longer be considered a commodity item that is purchased form the lowest-cost supplier. Instead, it must now be promoted as an integral part of the technical and business case for a total lithographic solution. Improving partnership between designer, mask-maker, and wafer lithographer will be the harbinger of success in finding a profitable balance of capability, cost, and cycle time. Likewise for equipment infrastructure development, stronger partnership on the international level is necessary to control development cost and mitigate schedule and technical risks.

values obtained using mouthpiece and face-mask evaluation methods in the measurement of maximal respiratory pressures and vital capacity. METHOD: We studied 30 patients (16 male, with a mean age of 55.9 ± 15.7, in the preoperative phase of abdominal surgery. Maximal inspiratory pressure and maximal expiratory pressure, as well as vital capacity, were evaluated using either a rigid flanged mouthpiece or a facemask, in randomized order. RESULTS: Evaluation with a facemask did not significantly alter vital capacity and maximal inspiratory pressure values, although maximal expiratory pressure values were significantly lower than when measured using a rigid mouthpiece. During measurement of maximal expiratory pressure, air leakage from around the mask was observed in 60% of cases. When maximal expiratory pressure measurements in which there was no such leakage were considered in isolation, face-mask values were higher than those obtained with the moutpiece CONCLUSION: With a facemask, maximal inspiratory pressure and vital capacity can be accurately evaluated. Maximal expiratory pressure can also be adequately evaluated using a facemask, provided that air leakage from the mask edges can be avoided. However, such leakage and the consequent reduction in the values obtained are common and limit the use of this method of evaluation.

Mask blanks are the substrates that hold the master patterns for integrated circuits. Integrated circuits are semiconductor devices, such as microprocessors (mPs), dynamic random access memory (DRAMs), and application specific integrated circuits (ASICs) that are central to the computer, communication, and electronics industries. These devices are fabricated using a set of master patterns that are sequentially imaged onto light-sensitive coated silicon wafers and processed to form thin layers of insulating and conductive materials on top of the wafer. These materials form electrical paths and transistors that control the flow of electricity through the device. For the past forty years the semiconductor industry has made phenomenal improvements in device functionality, compactness, speed, power, and cost. This progress is principally due to the exponential decrease in the minimum feature size of integrated circuits, which has been reduced by a factor of {radical}2 every three years. Since 1992 the Semiconductor Industry Association (SIA) has coordinated the efforts of producing a technology roadmap for semiconductors. In the latest document, ''The International Technology Roadmap for Semiconductors: 1999'', future technology nodes (minimum feature sizes) and targeted dates were specified and are summarized in Table 1. Lithography is the imaging technology for producing a de-magnified image of the mask on the wafer. A typical de-magnification factor is 4. Mask blank defects as small as one-eighth the equivalent minimum feature size are printable and may cause device failure. Defects might be the result of the surface preparation, such as polishing, or contamination due to handling or the environment. Table 2 shows the maximum tolerable defect sizes on the mask blank for each technology node. This downward trend puts a tremendous burden on mask fabrication, particularly in the area of defect detection and reduction. A new infrastructure for mask

Extreme ultraviolet (EUV) lithography is the successor to optical lithography and will enable advanced patterning in semiconductor manufacturing processes down to the 8 nm half pitch technology node and beyond. However, before EUV can successfully be inserted into high volume manufacturing a few challenges must be overcome. Central among these remaining challenges is the requirement to produce "defect free" EUV masks. Mask blank defects have been one of the top challenges in the commercialization of extreme ultraviolet (EUV) lithography. To determine defect sources and devise mitigation solutions, detailed characterization of defects is critical. However, small defects pose challenges in metrology scale-up. SEMATECH has a comprehensive metrology strategy to address any defect larger than a 20 nm core size to obtain solutions for defect-free EUV mask blanks. SEMATECH's Mask Blank Development Center has been working since 2003 to develop the technology to support defect free EUV mask blanks. Since 2003, EUV mask blank defects have been reduced from 10000 of size greater than 100 nm to about a few tens at size 70 nm. Unfortunately, today's state of the art defect levels are still about 10 to 100 times higher than needed. Closing this gap requires progress in the various processes associated with glass substrate creation and multilayer deposition. That process development improvement in turn relies upon the availability of metrology equipment that can resolve and chemically characterize defects as small as 30 nm. The current defect reduction efforts at SEMATECH have intensively included a focus on inspection and characterization. The facility boasts nearly 100M of metrology hardware, including an FEI Titan TEM, Lasertec M1350 and M7360 tools, an actinic inspection tool, AFM, SPM, and scanning auger capabilities. The newly established Auger tool at SEMATECH can run a standard 6-inch mask blank and is already providing important information on sub-100 nm defects on EUV

Emergency mask approach on Orion poses a challenge to the traditional Shuttle or Station approaches. Currently, in the case of a fire or toxic spill event, the crew utilizes open loop oxygen masks that provide the crew with oxygen to breath, but also dumps the exhaled oxygen into the cabin. For Orion, with a small cabin volume, the extra oxygen will exceed the flammability limit within a short period of time, unless a nitrogen purge is also provided. Another approach to a fire or toxic spill event is the use of a filtering emergency masks. These masks utilize some form of chemical beds to scrub the air clean of toxic providing the crew safe breathing air for a period without elevating the oxygen level in the cabin. Using the masks and a form of smoke-eater filter, it may be possible to clean the cabin completely or to a level for safe transition to a space suit to perform a cabin purge. Issues with filters in the past have been the reaction time, breakthroughs, and high breathing resistance. Development in a new form of chemical filters has shown promise to make the filtering approach feasible.

This review describes the most important factors affecting military work performance while wearing a CB mask: (1) the additional inspiratory and expiratory breathing resistance; (2) increased external dead space; (3) thermal stress of the mask and hood; (4) restriction of functional vision; (5) hindrance of speech transmission and reception; (6) weight, size, and pressure on the face by the CB mask; (7) claustrophobic reactions, and (8) sleep loss and lack of nutrient intake due to long-term wear. In assessing the biomedical aspects of these factors, rather than making comparisons between specific models of CB masks, the review addresses these factors as they apply to CB masks in general.

Provides information on alcoholism and codependency to help teachers identify and respond to children of alcoholics (COAs). Discusses characteristics of alcoholic homes and problems encountered by children and adult COAs. Examines survival "masks" of COAs, including hero, rebel, adjustor, clown, and caretaker. Lists organizational,…

Provides information on alcoholism and codependency to help teachers identify and respond to children of alcoholics (COAs). Discusses characteristics of alcoholic homes and problems encountered by children and adult COAs. Examines survival "masks" of COAs, including hero, rebel, adjustor, clown, and caretaker. Lists organizational,…

The aim of this review is to give a comprehensive overview of the current knowledge on plant metabolites of mycotoxins, also called masked mycotoxins. Mycotoxins are secondary fungal metabolites, toxic to human and animals. Toxigenic fungi often grow on edible plants, thus contaminating food and feed. Plants, as living organisms, can alter the chemical structure of mycotoxins as part of their defence against xenobiotics. The extractable conjugated or non-extractable bound mycotoxins formed remain present in the plant tissue but are currently neither routinely screened for in food nor regulated by legislation, thus they may be considered masked. Fusarium mycotoxins (deoxynivalenol, zearalenone, fumonisins, nivalenol, fusarenon-X, T-2 toxin, HT-2 toxin, fusaric acid) are prone to metabolisation or binding by plants, but transformation of other mycotoxins by plants (ochratoxin A, patulin, destruxins) has also been described. Toxicological data are scarce, but several studies highlight the potential threat to consumer safety from these substances. In particular, the possible hydrolysis of masked mycotoxins back to their toxic parents during mammalian digestion raises concerns. Dedicated chapters of this article address plant metabolism as well as the occurrence of masked mycotoxins in food, analytical aspects for their determination, toxicology and their impact on stakeholders.

目的:观察面罩直流给氧在颌面部损伤合并多发伤患者高压氧治疗中的应用,比较其与气管切开后直流给氧治疗的效果.方法:多发伤患者20例,其中观察组10例,合并颌面部损伤；对照组10例,已行气管切开术.2组患者均给予高压氧直流给氧治疗,其中观察组将面罩直接置于患者口鼻表面并不予面罩施加压力,对照组将氧管直接置于气管切开处.于治疗前、治疗5及10d后分别进行格拉斯哥昏迷量表(Glasgow coma scale,GCS)及ADL评分.结果:治疗5d后,2组的GCS及ADL评分均有所提高(均P＜0.05)；治疗10d后,2组GCS及ADL评分继续提高(均P＜0.05).治疗5及10d后,2组间GCS评分及ADL评分比较,差异均无统计学意义.结论:面罩直流给氧方式,避免了面罩在治疗过程中对颌面部损伤的压迫,有益于颌面部禁止受压患者的高压氧治疗.%Objective:To observe the effect of facemask with straight flow oxygen supply vs.straight flow oxygen with tracheal incision in hyperbaric oxygen treatment of maxillofacial injury combined with multiple injuries.Methods:Twenty cases of multiple injuries were chosen.Ten patients in observation group suffered from maxillofacial injury combined with multiple injuries,while ten patients in control group had been given tracheal incision.All these two groups were given straight flow oxygen supply.In observation group,facemasks were put directly on the top of mouth without compression on noses.Oxygen tubes were put at the tracheal incision in control group.Glasgow coma scale (GCS) and activities of daily living (ADL) scores were evaluated before and 5 and 10 days after treatment.Results:Five days after therapy,GCS and ADL scores were significantly increased in both two groups,with even higher scores at 10th day after treatment (all P＜0.05).There was no significant difference in GCS and ADL scores between two groups after treatment for 5 and 10 days.Conclusion:Facemask combined with

We describe the VIRMOS Mask Manufacturing Unit (MMU) configuration, composed of two units:the Mask Manufacturing Machine (with its Control Unit) and the Mask Handling Unit (inclusive of Control Unit, Storage Cabinets and robot for loading of the Instrument Cabinets). For both VIMOS and NIRMOS instruments, on the basis of orders received by the Mask Preparation Software (see paper (a) in same proceedings), the function of the MMU is to perform an off-line mask cutting and identification, followed by mask storing and subsequent filling of the Instrument Cabinets (IC). We describe the characteristics of the LPKF laser cutting machine and the work done to support the choice of this equipment. We also describe the remaining of the hardware configuration and the Mask Handling Software.

Product quality and timely delivery are two of the most important parameters in determining the success of a mask manufacturing facility. Because of the sensitivity of this data, very little was known about industry performance in these areas until an assessment was authored and presented at the 1993 BACUS Symposium by Larry Regis of Intel Corporation, Neil Paulsen of Intel Corporation, and James A. Reynolds of Reynolds Consulting. This data has been updated and will be published and presented at this year's BACUS Symposium. Contributor identities will again remain protected by utilizing Arthur Andersen & Company to compile the submittals. Participation was consistent with last year's representation of over 75% of the total merchant and captive mask volume in the United States. The data compiled includes shipments, customer return rate, customer return reasons from 1988 through Q2, 1994, performance to schedule, plate survival yield, and throughput time (TPT).

An analytical instrument and particularly a time-of-flight-mass spectrometer for processing a large number of analog signals irregularly spaced over a spectrum, with programmable masking of portions of the spectrum where signals are unlikely in order to reduce memory requirements and/or with a signal capturing assembly having a plurality of signal capturing devices fewer in number than the analog signals for use in repeated cycles within the data processing time period.

International SEMATECH (ISMT) is a consortium consisting of 13 leading semiconductor manufacturers from around the globe. Its objective is to develop the infrastructure necessary for its member companies to realize the International Technology Roadmap for Semiconductors (ITRS) through efficiencies of shared development resources and knowledge. The largest area of effort is lithography, recognized as a crucial enabler for microelectronics technology progress. Within the Lithography Division, most of the efforts center on mask-related issues. The development strategy at International SEMATCH will be presented and the interlock of lithography projects clarified. Because of the limited size of the mask production equipment market, the business case is weak for aggressive investment commensurate with the pace of the International Technology Roadmap for Semiconductors. With masks becoming the overwhelming component of lithography cost, new ways of reducing or eliminating mask costs are being explored. Will mask technology survive without a strong business case? Will the mask industry limit the growth of the semiconductor industry? Are advanced masks worth their escalating cost? An analysis of mask cost from the perspective of mask value imparted to the user is presented with examples and generic formulas for the reader to apply independently. A key part to the success for both International SEMATECH and the industry globally will be partnerships on both the local level between mask-maker and mask-user, and the macro level where global collaborations will be necessary to resolve technology development cost challenges.

To evaluate mask technique during simulated neonatal resuscitation and test the effectiveness of training in optimal mask handling. Seventy participants(consultants, registrars and nurses) from neonatal units were asked to administer positive pressure ventilation at a flow of 8 l/min and a frequency of 40-60/min to a modified leak free, term newborn manikin (lung compliance 0.5 ml/cm H(2)O) using a Neopuff T-piece device. Recordings were made (1) before training, (2) after training in mask handling and (3) 3 weeks later. Leak was calculated. Obstruction (tidal volume training, 10% (5-37%) directly after training and 15% (4-33%) 3 weeks later (ptraining and 3 weeks later in 46%, 42% and 37% of inflations, respectively. Severe obstruction did not occur. Mask ventilation during simulated neonatal resuscitation was often hampered by large leaks at the facemask. Moderate airway obstruction occurred frequently when effort was taken to minimise leak. Training in mask ventilation reduced mask leak but should also focus on preventing airway obstruction.

A mask alignment system for providing precise and repeatable alignment between ion implantation masks and workpieces. The system includes a mask frame having a plurality of ion implantation masks loosely connected thereto. The mask frame is provided with a plurality of frame alignment cavities, and each mask is provided with a plurality of mask alignment cavities. The system further includes a platen for holding workpieces. The platen may be provided with a plurality of mask alignment pins and frame alignment pins configured to engage the mask alignment cavities and frame alignment cavities, respectively. The mask frame can be lowered onto the platen, with the frame alignment cavities moving into registration with the frame alignment pins to provide rough alignment between the masks and workpieces. The mask alignment cavities are then moved into registration with the mask alignment pins, thereby shifting each individual mask into precise alignment with a respective workpiece.

This paper assesses the readiness of EUV masks for pilot line production. The printability of well characterized reticle defects, with particular emphasis on those reticle defects that cause electrical errors on wafer test chips, is investigated. The reticles are equipped with test marks that are inspected in a die-to-die mode (using DUV inspection tool) and reviewed (using a SEM tool), and which also comprise electrically testable patterns. The reticles have three modules comprising features with 32 nm ground rules in 104 nm pitch, 22 nm ground rules with 80 nm pitch, and 16 nm ground rules with 56 nm pitch (on the wafer scale). In order to determine whether specific defects originate from the substrate, the multilayer film, the absorber stack, or from the patterning process, the reticles were inspected after each fabrication step. Following fabrication, the reticles were used to print wafers on a 0.25 NA full-field ASML EUV exposure tool. The printed wafers were inspected with state of the art bright-field and Deep UV inspection tools. It is observed that the printability of EUV mask defects down to a pitch of 56 nm shows a trend of increased printability as the pitch of the printed pattern gets smaller - a well established trend at larger pitches of 80 nm and 104 nm, respectively. The sensitivity of state-of-the-art reticle inspection tools is greatly improved over that of the previous generation of tools. There appears to be no apparent decline in the sensitivity of these state-of-the-art reticle inspection tools for higher density (smaller) patterns on the mask, even down to 56nm pitch (1x). Preliminary results indicate that a blank defect density of the order of 0.25 defects/cm2 can support very early learning on EUV pilot line production at the 16nm node.

Over the past 25 years, following the International Technology Roadmap for Semiconductors , 2006 [1], the main feature size of integrated circuits has decreased from approximately 3 μm to 70 nm. With feature sizes well below the exposure wavelength of the stepper, resolution enhancement features such as serifs, scatter-bars, and hammer heads are added to the mask design. Given a 4:1 reduction from mask to wafer, the resolution enhancement features, such as scatter bars, are roughly the same size as main features on the wafer. Recently, with the reduction of mask feature size, mask-manufacturing technology faces several problems in satisfying customer needs for resolution, CD uniformity, and CD linearity. The problems result, in part, as the legacy of material and process choices made in the early days of mask making. For example, the use of chrome as an absorber was suitable material choice for wet etch binary mask processes, but this material is now seen as problematic current dry etch process. Another general source of problems for the mask industry is its small size relative to wafer manufacturing. As a result, vendors focus material and equipment development efforts on wafer, and then make adaptations to fit mask-making requirements. Nowadays the patterns of high-end lithographic masks are written by variable shaped beam 50 kV e-beam writers with minimum beam size of as little as few nm. However, the latent pattern after writing differs significantly from the final pattern on the mask due to interactions during post exposure bake, resist development, and etch processes so the final pattern is a convolution of these effects. The parameters of interest are resolution, critical dimension uniformity (CDU), pattern fidelity, CD linearity, iso-dense as well as clear-dark bias, transmission of the transparent substrate and absorber, and birefringence. Besides these requirements, there are implicit, not specified, expectations that the mask has to fulfill. To this

Photomask used for optical lithography has been developed for purpose of fabrication a pattern along with finer designed rules and increase the productivity. With regard to pattern fabrication on mask, EB (Electron beam) mask writer has been used because it has high resolution beam. But in producing photomask, minimum pattern size on mask is hits a peak around 40nm by the resolution limit of ArF immersion systems. This value is easy to achieve by current EB writer. So, photomask process with EB writer has gotten attached to increase turnaround time. In next generation lithography such as EUV (Extreme ultraviolet) lithography and Nano-imprint lithography, it is enable to fabricate finer pattern beyond the resolution limit of ArF immersion systems. Thereby the pattern on a mask becomes finer rapidly. According to ITRS 2012, fabrication of finer patterns less than 20nm will be required on EUV mask and on NIL template. Especially in NIL template, less than 15nm pattern will be required half a decade later. But today's development of EB writer is aiming to increase photomask's productivity, so we will face a difficulty to fabricate finer pattern in near future. In this paper, we examined a potential of mask production process with EB writer from the view of finer pattern fabrication performances. We succeeded to fabricate hp (half-pitch) 17nm pattern on mask plate by using VSB (Variable Shaped Beam) type EB mask writer with CAR (Chemically Amplified Resist). This result suggests that the photomask fabrication process has the potential for sub-20nm generation mask production.

Whether for VSB mask writing or for multibeam mask writing, the shapes we need to write on masks are increasingly complex, increasingly curvilinear, and smaller in minimum width and space. The overwhelming trend in mask data preparation (MDP) is the shift from deterministic, rule-based, geometric, context-independent, shape-modulated, rectangular processing to statistical, simulation-based, context-dependent, dose- and shape-modulated any-shape processing. The paper briefly surveys the history of MDP, and explains through a simulation-based study that 50nm line and space is the tipping point where rule-based processing gives away to simulation-based processing.

The purpose of this research was to review the literature on masked hypertension. Studies, reviews and editorials on masked hypertension were identified by PubMed, Pascal BioMed and Cochrane literature systematic searches. Then, we carried out a meta-analysis of the six cohort studies reporting quantitative data for masked hypertension prognosis. There is still no clear consensus definition of masked hypertension and the reproducibility of the phenomenon is unknown. Nevertheless, the prevalence of masked hypertension seems to lie between 8 and 20%, and can be up to 50% in treated hypertensive patients. Subjects with masked hypertension have a higher risk of cardiovascular accidents [hazard ratios: 1.92 (1.51-2.44)] than normotensive subjects. This is due to a possible failure to recognize and appropriately manage this particular form of hypertension, the frequent association with other risk factors and coexisting target organ damage. The remaining unresolved questions are as follows: is masked hypertension a clinical entity that requires identification and characterization or a statistical phenomenon linked to the variability of blood pressure measurements?; because screening of the entire population is not feasible, how to identify individuals with masked hypertension?; and, in the absence of randomized trial, how to treat masked hypertension?

Object substitution masking (OSM) is said to occur when a perceptual object is hypothesized that is mismatched by subsequent sensory evidence, leading to a new hypothesized object being substituted for the first. For example, when a brief target is accompanied by a longer lasting display of nonoverlapping mask elements, reporting of target…

As we approach the 22nm half-pitch (hp) technology node, the industry is rapidly running out of patterning options. Of the several lithography techniques highlighted in the International Technology Roadmap for Semiconductors (ITRS), the leading contender for the 22nm hp insertion is extreme ultraviolet lithography (EUVL). Despite recent advances with EUV resist and improvements in source power, achieving defect free EUV mask blank and enabling the EUV mask infrastructure still remain critical issues. To meet the desired EUV high volume manufacturing (HVM) insertion target date of 2013, these obstacles must be resolved on a timely bases. Many of the EUV mask related challenges remain in the pre-competitive stage and a collaborative industry based consortia, such as SEMATECH can play an important role to enable the EUVL landscape. SEMATECH based in Albany, NY is an international consortium representing several of the largest manufacturers in the semiconductor market. Full members include Intel, Samsung, AMD, IBM, Panasonic, HP, TI, UMC, CNSE (College of Nanoscience and Engineering), and Fuller Road Management. Within the SEMATECH lithography division a major thrust is centered on enabling the EUVL ecosystem from mask development, EUV resist development and addressing EUV manufacturability concerns. An important area of focus for the SEMATECH mask program has been the Mask Blank Development Center (MBDC). At the MBDC key issues in EUV blank development such as defect reduction and inspection capabilities are actively pursued together with research partners, key suppliers and member companies. In addition the mask program continues a successful track record of working with the mask community to manage and fund critical mask tools programs. This paper will highlight recent status of mask projects and longer term strategic direction at the MBDC. It is important that mask technology be ready to support pilot line development HVM by 2013. In several areas progress has been

Full Text Available Emotional stimuli can be processed even when participants perceive them without conscious awareness, but the extent to which unconsciously processed emotional stimuli influence implicit memory after short and long delays is not fully understood. We addressed this issue by measuring a subliminal affective priming effect in Experiment 1 and a long-term priming effect in Experiment 2. In Experiment 1, a flashed fearful or neutral facemasked by a scrambled face was presented three times, then a target face (either fearful or neutral was presented and participants were asked to make a fearful/neutral judgment. We found that, relative to a neutral prime face (neutral-fear face, a fearful prime face speeded up participants' reaction to a fearful target (fear-fear face, when they were not aware of the masked prime face. But this response pattern did not apply to the neutral target. In Experiment 2, participants were first presented with a maskedfaces six times during encoding. Three minutes later, they were asked to make a fearful/neutral judgment for the same face with congruent expression, the same face with incongruent expression or a new face. Participants showed a significant priming effect for the fearful faces but not for the neutral faces, regardless of their awareness of the maskedfaces during encoding. These results provided evidence that unconsciously processed stimuli could enhance emotional memory after both short and long delays. It indicates that emotion can enhance memory processing whether the stimuli are encoded consciously or unconsciously.

An immense body of research demonstrates that emotional facial expressions can be processed unconsciously. However, it has been assumed that such processing takes place solely on a global valence-based level, allowing individuals to disentangle positive from negative emotions but not the specific emotion. In three studies, we investigated the specificity of emotion processing under conditions of limited awareness using a modified variant of an affective priming task. Faces with happy, angry, sad, fearful, and neutral expressions were presented as masked primes for 33 ms (Study 1) or 14 ms (Studies 2 and 3) followed by emotional target faces (Studies 1 and 2) or emotional adjectives (Study 3). Participants' task was to categorise the target emotion. In all three studies, discrimination of targets was significantly affected by the emotional primes beyond a simple positive versus negative distinction. Results indicate that specific aspects of emotions might be automatically disentangled in addition to valence, even under conditions of subjective unawareness.

Masked priming is used in psycholinguistic studies to assess questions about lexical access and representation. We present two masked priming experiments using MEG. If the MEG signal elicited by words reflects specific aspects of lexical retrieval, then one expects to identify specific neural correlates of retrieval that are sensitive to priming.…

Although distinguishing features of masked hypertension in diabetics are well known, the significance of antihypertensive treatment on clinical practice decisions has not been fully explored. We analyzed 9691 subjects from the population-based 11-country International Database on Ambulatory Blood...... Pressure in Relation to Cardiovascular Outcomes. Prevalence of masked hypertension in untreated normotensive participants was higher (P...

According to recent models of individual differences in attachment organization, a basic dimension of adult attachment is avoidance. Attachment-related avoidance corresponds to tendencies to withdraw from close relationships and to an unwillingness to rely on others. In the formation of attachment orientation during infancy facial emotional interaction plays a central role. There exists an inborn very rapid decoding capacity for facial emotional expression. In this study, functional magnetic resonance imaging was used to examine differences in automatic brain reactivity to facial emotions as a function of attachment avoidance in a sample of 51 healthy adults. Pictures of sad and happy faces (which are approach-related interpersonal signals) were presented masked by neutral faces. The Relationship Scales Questionnaire (RSQ) was used to assess the attachment avoidance. Masked sad faces activated the amygdala, the insula, occipito-temporal areas, and the somatosensory cortices. Independently from trait anxiety, depressivity, and detection performance, attachment avoidance was found to be inversely related to responses of the primary somatosensory cortex (BA 3) to masked sad faces. A low spontaneous responsivity of the primary somatosensory cortex to negative faces could be a correlate of the habitual unwillingness to deal with partners' distress and needs for proximity. The somatosensory cortices are known to be critically involved in the processes of emotional mimicry and simulation which have the potential to increase social affiliation. Our data are consistent with the idea that people who withdraw from close relationships respond spontaneously to a lesser extent to negative interpersonal emotional signals than securely attached individuals.

Low endotoxin recovery (LER) is a recently discovered phenomenon describing the inability of limulus amebocyte lysate (LAL)-based assays to detect lipopolysaccharide (LPS) because of a “masking effect” caused by chelators or detergents commonly used in buffer formulations for medical products and recombinant proteins. This study investigates the masking capacities of different buffer formulations and whether masked endotoxin is biologically active. We show that both naturally occurring endotoxin as well as control standard endotoxin can be affected by LER. Furthermore, whereas masked endotoxin cannot be detected in Factor C based assays, it is still detectable in a cell-based TLR4-NF-κB-luciferase reporter gene assay. Moreover, in primary human monocytes, masked LPS induces the expression of pro-inflammatory cytokines and surface activation markers even at very low concentrations. We therefore conclude that masked LPS is a potent trigger of immune responses, which emphasizes the potential danger of masked LPS, as it may pose a health threat in pharmaceutical products or compromise experimental results. PMID:28317862

Current views on face perception assume that the visual system receives only visual facial signals. However, I show that the visual perception of faces is systematically biased by adaptation to a haptically explored face. Recently, face aftereffects (FAEs; the altered perception of faces after adaptation to a face) have been demonstrated not only in visual perception but also in haptic perception; therefore, I combined the two FAEs to examine whether the visual system receives face-related signals from the haptic modality. I found that adaptation to a haptically explored facial expression on a facemask produced a visual FAE for facial expression. This cross-modal FAE was not due to explicitly imaging a face, response bias, or adaptation to local features. Furthermore, FAEs transferred from vision to haptics. These results indicate that visual face processing depends on substrates adapted by haptic faces, which suggests that face processing relies on shared representation underlying cross-modal interactions.

In backward masking, a target stimulus is rendered invisible by the presentation of a second stimulus, the mask. When the mask is effective, neural responses to the target are suppressed. Nevertheless, weak target responses sometimes may produce a behavioural response. It remains unclear whether the reduced target response is a purely feedforward response or that it includes recurrent activity. Using a feedforward neural network of biological plausible spiking neurons, we tested whether a transient spike burst is sufficient for face categorization. After training the network, the system achieved face/non-face categorization for sets of grayscale images. In a backward masking paradigm, the transient burst response was cut off thereby reducing the feedforward target response. Despite the suppressed feedforward responses stimulus classification remained robust. Thus according to our model data stimulus detection is possible with purely, suppressed feedforward responses.

In order to optimize the occulting process of a Lyot coronagraph and to provide a high dynamic range imaging, a new kind of occulting disk has been developed at the National Observatory of Rio de Janeiro. A mercury (Hg) drop glued onto an optical window by molecular cohesion and compressed by a pellicle film is used as the occulting disk. The minimum of the superficial tension potential function provides an optical precision (lambda/100) of the toric free surface of the mercury. This process provides a size control for the adaptation to the seeing conditions and to the apparent diameter of a resolved object, and in the case of adaptive optics, to the Airy diameter fraction needed. The occultation is a three dimensional process near the focal plane on the toric free surface that provides an apodization of the occultation. The Hg-Mask coronagraph has been projected for astrometric observations of faint satellites near to Jovian planets and works since 2000 at the 1.6 m telescope of the Pico dos Dias Observatory (OPD - Brazil).

A plurality of masks is attached to the underside of a mask frame. This attachment is made such that each mask can independently move relative to the mask frame in three directions. This relative movement allows each mask to adjust its position to align with respective alignment pins disposed on a working surface. In one embodiment, each mask is attached to the mask frame using fasteners, where the fasteners have a shaft with a diameter smaller than the diameter of the mounting hole disposed on the mask. A bias element may be used to allow relative movement between the mask and the mask frame in the vertical direction. Each mask may also have kinematic features to mate with the respective alignment pins on the working surface.

In 1995, we proposed that consumption and contemporary consumerism could not be studied or understood separately from the world of work and production. We proposed that contemporary consumerism was built on the back of what we referred to as `the Fordist Deal'. This deal, pioneered by Henry Ford for his employees, was the promise of ever increasing standards of living in exchange for a quiescent labour force accepting alienating work. Since that deal was struck, consumerism came to signify a ...

Touches on one hand or forearm can affect tactile sensitivity at contralateral locations on the opposite side of the body. These interactions suggest an intimate connection between the two sides of the body. Here, we explore the effect of masking not across the body but through the body by measuring the effect of a masking stimulus on the back on the tactile sensitivity of the corresponding point on the front. Tactile sensitivity was measured on each side of the stomach, while vibrotactile masking stimulation was applied to one side of the front and to points on the back including the point directly behind the test point on the front. Results were compared to sensitivity, while vibrotactile stimulation was applied to a control site on the shoulder. A reduction in sensitivity of about .8 dB was found that required the masking stimulus to be within about 2 cm of the corresponding point on the back.

Full Text Available Common etymon of word “personality” in foreign languages is based on the word “persona”. Meaning of the word “persona”, in latin, is the mask the stage actors use. Jung, defining the “Persona” as a concept within the scope of analytic psychology, sees it as a functional cover, a form of spiritual behavior, which responds to daily needs of the person. When both definitions are read simultaneously the “persona” shall become the “social mask”. In brief; in order to receive acknowledgement-and not to be excluded, and to acquire some sort of things, social masks (personas suitable with communal codes that one is a part of are used. Our social masks in this sense are our face that people around us see and recognize. Maintaining the personality within “normal” borders is dependent on persona’s motion and its transmutation when needed. Play characters, too, have social masks. In this study, a review was performed out of chosen play scripts on play persons who use the social masks that undertake key roles in the stack of encoded social relationships.

We have studied both the mask CD specification and the mask defect specification for spacer patterning technology (SPT). SPT has the possibility of extending optical lithography to below 40nm half-pitch devices. Since SPT necessitates somewhat more complicated wafer process flow, the CD error and mask defect printability on wafers involve more process factors compared with conventional single-exposure process (SEP). This feature of SPT implies that it is very important to determine mask-related specifications for SPT in order to select high-end mask fabrication strategies; those are for mask writing tools, mask process development, materials, inspection tools, and so on. Our experimental studies reveal that both mask CD specification and mask defect specification are somehow relaxed from those in ITRS2007. This is most likely because SPT reduces mask CD error enhanced factor (MEF) and the reduction of line-width roughness (LWR).

To compare and contrast three different training modalities for fit testing N-95 respirator facemasks. Block randomized interventional study. Urban university. Two hundred eighty-nine medical students. Students were randomly assigned to video, lecture, or slide show to evaluate the effectiveness of the methods for fit testing large groups of people. Ease of fit and success of fit for each instructional technique. Mask 1 was a Kimberly-Clark duckbill N-95 respirator mask, and mask 2 was a 3M™ carpenters N-95 respirator mask. "Ease of fit" was defined as the ability to successfully don a mask in less than 30 seconds. "Success of fit" was defined as the ability to correctly don a mask in one try. There were no statistical differences by training modality for either mask regarding ease of fit or success of fit. There were no differences among video presentation, small group demonstration, and self-directed slide show just-in-time training modalities for ease of fit or success of fit N-95 respirator mask fitting. Further study is needed to explore more effective fit training modalities.

... begin in other places in the body. Abscessed tooth (ongoing throbbing pain on one side of the lower face that ... face, and aggravated by eating. Call a dentist. Pain is persistent, ... by other unexplained symptoms. Call your primary provider.

Masking effects have been demonstrated in which tactile sensitivity is affected when one touch is close to another on the body surface. Such effects are likely a result of local lateral inhibitory circuits that sharpen the spatial tuning of a given tactile receptor. Mutually inhibitory pathways have also been demonstrated between cortical tactile maps of the two halves of the body. Occasional reports have indicated that touches on one hand or forearm can affect tactile sensitivity at contralateral locations. Here, we measure the spatial tuning and effect of posture on this contralateral masking effect. Tactile sensitivity was measured on one forearm, while vibrotactile masking stimulation was applied to the opposite arm. Results were compared to sensitivity while vibrotactile stimulation was applied to a control site on the right shoulder. Sensitivity on the forearm was reduced by over 3 dB when the arms were touching and by 0.52 dB when they were held parallel. The masking effect depended on the position of the masking stimulus. Its effectiveness fell off by 1 STD when the stimulus was 29 % of arm length from the corresponding contralateral point. This long-range inhibitory effect in the tactile system suggests a surprisingly intimate relationship between the two sides of the body.

Nine new self-rescue mask instructors have been trained since early 2013, which provides CERN with a total of 26 self-rescue mask instructors to date. This will allow us to meet the increasing training needs caused by the Long Shut Down LS1. The self-rescue mask instructors have trained 1650 persons in 2012 and about 500 persons since the beginning of the year on how to wear the masks properly. We thank all the instructors and all the persons that made this training possible. Please remember that the self-rescue masks training sessions are scheduled as follows: Basic course: Tuesday and Thursday mornings (2 sessions – 8.30 AM and 10.30 AM), duration: 1.30 hour, in French and English – registration via CERN online training catalogue – Course code 077Y00. Refresher training : Monday mornings (2 sessions – 8.30 AM and 10.30 AM), duration: 1.30 hour , in French and English – registration via CERN online training catalogue &...

Line-edge roughness (LER) remains the most significant challenge facing the development of extreme ultraviolet (EUV) resist. The mask, however, has been found to be a significant contributor to image-plane LER. This has long been expected based on modeling and has more recently been demonstrated experimentally. Problems arise from both mask-absorber LER as well as mask multilayer roughness leading to random phase variations in the reflected beam and consequently speckle. Understanding the implications this has on mask requirements for the 22-nm half pitch node and below is crucial. Modeling results indicate a replicated surface roughness (RSR) specification of 50 pm and a ruthenium capping layer roughness specification of 440 pm. Moreover, modeling indicates that it is crucial to achieve the current ITRS specifications for mask absorber LER which is significantly smaller than current capabilities.

The mask composition checking flow is an evolution of the traditional mask rule check (MRC). In order to differentiate the flow from MRC, we call it Mask Data Correctness Check (MDCC). The mask house does MRC only to identify process limitations including writing, etching, metrology, etc. There still exist many potential errors that could occur when the frame, main circuit and dummies all together form a whole reticle. The MDCC flow combines the design rule check (DRC) and MRC concepts to adapt to the complex patterns in today's wafer production technologies. Although photomask data has unique characteristics, the MRC tool in Calibre® MDP can easily achieve mask composition by using the Extended MEBES job deck (EJB) format. In EJB format, we can customize the combination of any input layers in an IC design layout format, such as OASIS. Calibre MDP provides section-based processing for many standard verification rule format (SVRF) commands that support DRC-like checks on mask data. Integrating DRC-like checking with EJB for layer composition, we actually perform reticle-level DRC, which is the essence of MDCC. The flow also provides an early review environment before the photomask pattern files are available. Furthermore, to incorporate the MDCC in our production flow, runtime is one of the most important indexes we consider. When the MDCC is included in the tape-out flow, the runtime impact is very limited. Calibre, with its multi-threaded processes and good scalability, is the key to achieving acceptable runtime. In this paper, we present real case runtime data for 28nm and 14nm technology nodes, and prove the practicability of placing MDCC into mass production.

The relationship between musical training and informational masking was studied for 24 young adult listeners with normal hearing. The listeners were divided into two groups based on musical training. In one group, the listeners had little or no musical training; the other group was comprised of highly trained, currently active musicians. The hypothesis was that musicians may be less susceptible to informational masking, which is thought to reflect central, rather than peripheral, limitations on the processing of sound. Masked thresholds were measured in two conditions, similar to those used by Kidd et al. [J. Acoust. Soc. Am. 95, 3475-3480 (1994)]. In both conditions the signal was comprised of a series of repeated tone bursts at 1 kHz. The masker was comprised of a series of multitone bursts, gated with the signal. In one condition the frequencies of the masker were selected randomly for each burst; in the other condition the masker frequencies were selected randomly for the first burst of each interval and then remained constant throughout the interval. The difference in thresholds between the two conditions was taken as a measure of informational masking. Frequency selectivity, using the notched-noise method, was also estimated in the two groups. The results showed no difference in frequency selectivity between the two groups, but showed a large and significant difference in the amount of informational masking between musically trained and untrained listeners. This informational masking task, which requires no knowledge specific to musical training (such as note or interval names) and is generally not susceptible to systematic short- or medium-term training effects, may provide a basis for further studies of analytic listening abilities in different populations.

With the growth of biometric technology, spoofing attacks have been emerged a threat to the security of the system. Main spoofing scenarios in the face recognition system include the printing attack, replay attack, and 3D mask attack. To prevent such attacks, techniques that evaluating liveness of the biometric data can be considered as a solution. In this paper, a novel face liveness detection method based on cardiac signal extracted from face is presented. The key point of proposed method is that the cardiac characteristic is detected in live faces but not detected in non-live faces. Experimental results showed that the proposed method can be effective way for determining printing attack or 3D mask attack.

Does a visual mask need to be perceptually present to disrupt processing? In the present research, we proposed to explore the link between perceptual and memory mechanisms by demonstrating that a typical sensory phenomenon (visual masking) can be replicated at a memory level. Experiment 1 highlighted an interference effect of a visual mask on the…

Having consistent high quality photo masks is one of the key factors in lithography in the wafer fab. Combined with stable exposure- and resist processes, it ensures yield increases in production and fast learning cycles for technology development and design evaluation. Preventive controlling of incoming masks and quality monitoring while using the mask in production is essential for the fab to avoid yield loss or technical problems caused by mask issues, which eventually result in delivery problems to the customer. In this paper an overview of the procedures used for mask qualification and production release, for both logic and DRAM, at Infineon Dresden is presented. Incoming qualification procedures, such as specification checks, incoming inspection, and inline litho process window evaluation, are described here. Pinching and electrical tests, including compatibility tests for mask copies for high volume products on optimized litho processes, are also explained. To avoid mask degradation over lifetime, re-inspection checks are done for re-qualification while using the mask in production. The necessity of mask incoming inspection and re-qualification, due to the repeater printing from either the processing defects of the original mask or degrading defects of being used in the fab (i.e. haze, ESD, and moving particles, etc.), is demonstrated. The need and impact of tight mask specifications, such as CD uniformity signatures and corresponding electrical results, are shown with examples of mask-wafer CD correlation.

In this paper we present a new approach for binary and soft masks used in single-channel speech separation. We present a novel approach called the sinusoidal mask (binary mask and Wiener filter) in a sinusoidal space. Theoretical analysis is presented for the proposed method, and we show...

Full Text Available BACKGROUND: A Noh mask worn by expert actors when performing on a Japanese traditional Noh drama is suggested to convey countless different facial expressions according to different angles of head/body orientation. The present study addressed the question of how different facial parts of a Noh mask, including the eyebrows, the eyes, and the mouth, may contribute to different emotional expressions. Both experimental situations of active creation and passive recognition of emotional facial expressions were introduced. METHODOLOGY/PRINCIPAL FINDINGS: In Experiment 1, participants either created happy or sad facial expressions, or imitated a face that looked up or down, by actively changing each facial part of a Noh mask image presented on a computer screen. For an upward tilted mask, the eyebrows and the mouth shared common features with sad expressions, whereas the eyes with happy expressions. This contingency tended to be reversed for a downward tilted mask. Experiment 2 further examined which facial parts of a Noh mask are crucial in determining emotional expressions. Participants were exposed to the synthesized Noh mask images with different facial parts expressing different emotions. Results clearly revealed that participants primarily used the shape of the mouth in judging emotions. The facial images having the mouth of an upward/downward tilted Noh mask strongly tended to be evaluated as sad/happy, respectively. CONCLUSIONS/SIGNIFICANCE: The results suggest that Noh masks express chimeric emotional patterns, with different facial parts conveying different emotions This appears consistent with the principles of Noh which highly appreciate subtle and composite emotional expressions, as well as with the mysterious facial expressions observed in Western art. It was further demonstrated that the mouth serves as a diagnostic feature in characterizing the emotional expressions. This indicates the superiority of biologically-driven factors over the

We describe our experience of brief (training with the laryngeal mask airway (LMA) for neonatal resuscitation in 80 health care workers. Prior to training, 31% had not heard of the LMA, 57% did not know the LMA could be used for neonatal resuscitation and 88% thought it was a disposable device. The mean (SD) range time to insert the LMA after training was 5 (2, 5-16) s and there were no failed insertions. The preferred technique for neonatal resuscitation, before vs after training, changed from 72 to 14% for the facemask (P training was adequate and the LMA should be available on neonatal resuscitation carts. Confidence in using the LMA increased from 8 to 97% (P training.

Full Text Available Skip to Content Menu Closed (Tap to Open) Home Videos by Topic Videos by Type Search All ... What is AboutFace? Resources for Professionals Get Help Home Watch Videos by Topic Videos by Type Search ...

Full Text Available ... Home Videos by Topic Videos by Type Search All Videos PTSD Basics PTSD Treatment What is AboutFace? ... Watch Videos by Topic Videos by Type Search All Videos Learn More PTSD Basics PTSD Treatment What ...

A new method for investigating spatial release from informational masking was developed and employed in two experiments. The new method is computer controlled and efficient. It employs the versatile coordinate response measure speech stimulus set [Bolia et al., J. Acoust. Soc. Am. 107, 1065 (2000)]. The experiments were conducted in an anechoic room, with a primary loudspeaker in front of the listener and a secondary loudspeaker at 60 deg to the right. Target messages were presented from the primary speaker only. For a standard, distractor messages, simultaneous with the target, were also presented from the primary speaker only. Spatial release was measured by presenting the distractors from both primary and secondary speakers with a temporal offset. Experiment 1 fixed the offset (secondary leading, +4 ms) and varied the number of distractors (1 to 3) and the target-to-distractor ratio (-12 to +4 dB). Masking release, sometimes as large as 10 dB, was found for all combinations of these variables. Experiment 2 varied the offset over a wide range of values. Substantial release from masking was found for both positive and negative offsets, but only in the range in which speech echoes are suppressed (<50 ms). [Work supported by NIDCD grant DC 00181.

Last November, surgeons in France successfully performed the world's first face transplant surgery. Ten days later, Chen Huanran in Beijing began soliciting patients who were ready to accept a face transplant, searching for China's first such patient through an advertisement on his website and other channels. Chen, chief orthopedic surgeon at the Plastic Surgery Hospital under the Chinese Academy of Medical Sciences, has conducted more than 300 transsexual operations and was considered one of the top com...

Full Text Available Previous studies have shown that emotion can have two-fold effects on perception. At the object-level, emotional stimuli benefit from a stimulus-specific boost in visual attention at the relative expense of competing stimuli. At the visual feature-level, recent findings indicate that emotion may inhibit the processing of small visual details and facilitate the processing of coarse visual features. In the present study, we investigated whether emotion can boost the activation and inhibition of automatic motor responses that are generated prior to overt perception. To investigate this, we tested whether an emotional cue affects covert motor responses in a masked priming task. We used a masked priming paradigm in which participants responded to target arrows that were preceded by invisible congruent or incongruent prime arrows. In the standard paradigm, participants react faster and commit fewer errors responding to the directionality of target arrows, when they are preceded by congruent vs. incongruent masked prime arrows (positive congruency effect: PCE. However, as prime-target SOAs increase, this effect reverses (negative congruency effect: NCE. These findings have been explained as evidence for an initial activation and a subsequent inhibition of a partial response elicited by the masked prime arrow. Our results show that the presentation of fearful face cues, compared to neutral face cues, increased the size of both the PCE and NCE, despite the fact that the primes were invisible. This is the first demonstration that emotion prepares an individual's visuomotor system for automatic activation and inhibition of motor responses in the absence of visual awareness.

Facial recognition is key to social interaction, however with unfamiliar faces only generic information, in the form of facial stereotypes such as gender and age is available. Therefore is generic information more prominent in unfamiliar versus familiar face processing? In order to address the question we tapped into two relatively disparate stages of face processing. At the early stages of encoding, we employed perceptual masking to reveal that only perception of unfamiliar face targets is affected by the gender of the facial masks. At the semantic end; using a priming paradigm, we found that while to-be-ignored unfamiliar faces prime lexical decisions to gender congruent stereotypic words, familiar faces do not. Our findings indicate that gender is a more salient dimension in unfamiliar relative to familiar face processing, both in early perceptual stages as well as later semantic stages of person construal.

This study investigates the use of 3D printing for patients that require localised radiotherapy treatment to the face. The current process involves producing a lead mask in order to protect the healthy tissue from the effects of the radiotherapy. The mask is produced by applying a thermoplastic sheet to the patient's face and allowing to set hard. This can then be used as a mould to create a plaster impression of the patient's face. A sheet of lead is then hammered on to the plaster to create a bespoke fitted facemask. This process can be distressing for patients and can be problematic when the patient is required to remain motionless for a prolonged time while the thermoplastic sets. In this study, a 1:1 scale 3D print of a patient's face was generated using a laser scanner. The lead was hammered directly on to the surface of the 3D print in order to create a bespoke fitted treatment mask. This eliminated the thermoplastic moulding stage and significantly reduced the time needed for the patient to be in clinic. The higher definition impression of the the face resulted in a more accurate, better fitting treatment mask.

ArF immersion lithography combined with double patterning has been used for fabricating below half pitch 40nm devices. However, when pattern size shrinks below 20nm, we must use new technology like quadruple patterning process or next generation lithography (NGL) solutions. Moreover, with change in lithography tool, next generation mask production will be needed. According to ITRS 2013, fabrication of finer patterns less than 15nm will be required on mask plate in NGL mask production 5 years later [1]. In order to fabricate finer patterns on mask, higher resolution EB mask writer and high performance fabrication process will be required. In a previous study, we investigated a potential of mask fabrication process for finer patterning and achieved 17nm dense line pattern on mask plate by using VSB (Variable Shaped Beam) type EB mask writer and chemically amplified resist [2][3]. After a further investigation, we constructed higher performance mask process by using new EB mask writer EBM9000. EBM9000 is the equipment supporting hp16nm generation's photomask production and has high accuracy and high throughput. As a result, we achieved 15.5nm pattern on mask with high productivity. Moreover, from evaluation of isolated pattern, we proved that current mask process has the capability for sub-10nm pattern. These results show that the performance of current mask fabrication process have the potential to fabricate the next-generation mask.

Mask data file sizes are increasing as we move from technology generation to generation. The historical 30% linear shrink every 2-3 years that has been called Moore's Law, has driven a doubling of the transistor budget and hence feature count. The transition from steppers to step-and-scan tools has increased the area of the mask that needs to be patterned. At the 130nm node and below, Optical Proximity Correction (OPC) has become prevalent, and the edge fragmentation required to implement OPC leads to an increase in the number of polygons required to define the layout. Furthermore, Resolution Enhancement Techniques (RETs) such as Sub-Resolution Assist Features (SRAFs) or tri-tone Phase Shift Masks (PSM) require additional features to be defined on the mask which do not resolve on the wafer, further increasing masks volumes. In this paper we review historical data on mask file sizes for microprocessor designs. We consider the consequences of this increase in file size on Mask Data Prep (MDP) activities, both within the Integrated Device Manufacturer (IDM) and Mask Shop, namely: computer resources, storage and networks (for file transfer). The impact of larger file sizes on mask writing times is also reviewed. Finally we consider, based on the trends that have been observed over the last 5 technology nodes, what will be required to maintain reasonable MDP and mask manufacturing cycle times.

Full Text Available Thanaporn Amnuaikit, Toon Chusuit, Panithi Raknam, Prapaporn BoonmeDepartment of Pharmaceutical Technology, Faculty of Pharmaceutical Sciences, Prince of Songkla University, Songkhla, ThailandBackground: Cellulose masks obtained from natural sources such as bacteria are of interest as cosmetic devices for the treatment of dry skin because they not only improve hydration of the skin, but have low toxicity and are biodegradable. The aims of this study were to determine the in vivo effects of a cellulose mask obtained from Acetobacter xylinum on skin characteristics and to evaluate user satisfaction with the product.Methods: Thirty healthy Thai volunteers aged 21–40 years participated in the study. The volunteers were randomly separated into a control group and an experimental group. For the control group, volunteers were assigned to apply moist towels to the face for 25 minutes. For the experimental group, the volunteers were assigned to apply the masks, ie, translucent patches which could be fitted onto the face for the same period. The following week, the groups were changed over to the alternative treatment. Skin moisture, sebum, elasticity, texture, dullness, and desquamation levels were assessed using a system used for routine skin counseling before applying the trial product and five minutes after its removal. Degree of satisfaction with use of the cellulose mask was investigated using a five-point rating scale.Results: The cellulose mask increased moisture levels in the skin significantly more than moist towels (P < 0.05 after a single application. No obvious effects on other skin characteristics were found. The cellulose mask product rated around 4/5 on the satisfaction rating scale.Conclusions: A single application of the trial cellulose mask enhanced moisture uptake by facial skin. Users also reported being satisfied with the trial product.Keywords: bacterial cellulose, facial mask, skin characteristics, skin hydration, user

We discuss an optical method for controlling the half-width of Gaussian like transmittance windows, by using a pair of absorption masks that have both radial and helical amplitude variations. For describing the radial part of the proposed masks, we employ amplitude transmittance profiles of the form T(ρ) = exp(- ρ s ). For s = 2, one has an amplitude transmittance that is proportional to a Gaussian function. A sub Gaussian mask is defined by a value of s 2, one has super Gaussian masks. Our discussion considers that any of these radially varying masks has also helical modulations. We show that by using a suitable pair of this type of masks, one can control the halfwidth of Gaussian like windows.

Cough etiquette and respiratory hygiene are forms of source control encouraged to prevent the spread of respiratory infection. The use of surgical masks as a means of source control has not been quantified in terms of reducing exposure to others. We designed an in vitro model using various facepieces to assess their contribution to exposure reduction when worn at the infectious source (Source) relative to facepieces worn for primary (Receiver) protection, and the factors that contribute to each. In a chamber with various airflows, radiolabeled aerosols were exhaled via a ventilated soft-face manikin head using tidal breathing and cough (Source). Another manikin, containing a filter, quantified recipient exposure (Receiver). The natural fit surgical mask, fitted (SecureFit) surgical mask and an N95-class filtering facepiece respirator (commonly known as an "N95 respirator") with and without a Vaseline-seal were tested. With cough, source control (mask or respirator on Source) was statistically superior to mask or unsealed respirator protection on the Receiver (Receiver protection) in all environments. To equal source control during coughing, the N95 respirator must be Vaseline-sealed. During tidal breathing, source control was comparable or superior to mask or respirator protection on the Receiver. Source control via surgical masks may be an important adjunct defense against the spread of respiratory infections. The fit of the mask or respirator, in combination with the airflow patterns in a given setting, are significant contributors to source control efficacy. Future clinical trials should include a surgical mask source control arm to assess the contribution of source control in overall protection against airborne infection.

Full Text Available ... PTSD (posttraumatic stress disorder). Watch the intro This is AboutFace In these videos, Veterans, family members, and ... to hear what they have to say. What is PTSD? → How does PTSD affect loved ones? → Am ...

Full Text Available ... traumatic event — like combat, an assault, or a disaster — it's normal to feel scared, keyed up, or sad at first. But if it's been months or years since the trauma and you're not feeling better, you may have PTSD (posttraumatic stress disorder). Watch the intro This is AboutFace In ...

As optical lithography continues to extend into low-k1 regime, resolution of mask patterns continues to diminish. The limitation of 1.35 NA posed by water-based lithography has led to the application of various resolution enhancement techniques (RET), for example, use of strong phase-shifting masks, aggressive OPC and sub-resolution assist features, customized illuminators, etc. The adoption of these RET techniques combined with the requirements to detect even smaller defects on masks due to increasing MEEF, poses considerable challenges for a mask inspection engineer. Inspecting masks under their actinic-aerial image conditions would detect defects that are more likely to print under those exposure conditions. However, this also makes reviewing such defects in their low-contrast aerial images very challenging. On the other hand, inspecting masks under higher resolution inspection optics would allow for better viewing of defects post-inspection. However, such inspections generally would also detect many more defects, including printable and nuisance, thereby making it difficult to judge which are of real concern for printability on wafer. Often, an inspection engineer may choose to use Aerial and/or high resolution inspection modes depending on where in the process flow the mask is and the specific device-layer characteristics of the mask. Hence, a comprehensive approach is needed in handling defects both post-aerial and post-high resolution inspections. This analysis system is designed for the Applied Materials Aera™ mask inspection platform, all data reported was collected using the Aera.

X-ray masking apparatus includes a frame having a supporting rim surrounding an x-ray transparent region, a thin membrane of hard inorganic x-ray transparent material attached at its periphery to the supporting rim covering the x-ray transparent region and a layer of x-ray opaque material on the thin membrane inside the x-ray transparent region arranged in a pattern to selectively transmit x-ray energy entering the x-ray transparent region through the membrane to a predetermined image plane separated from the layer by the thin membrane. A method of making the masking apparatus includes depositing back and front layers of hard inorganic x-ray transparent material on front and back surfaces of a substrate, depositing back and front layers of reinforcing material on the back and front layers, respectively, of the hard inorganic x-ray transparent material, removing the material including at least a portion of the substrate and the back layers of an inside region adjacent to the front layer of hard inorganic x-ray transparent material, removing a portion of the front layer of reinforcing material opposite the inside region to expose the surface of the front layer of hard inorganic x-ray transparent material separated from the inside region by the latter front layer, and depositing a layer of x-ray opaque material on the surface of the latter front layer adjacent to the inside region.

The object of this study was to investigate whether the amygdala is involved in affective priming effect after stimuli are encoded unconsciously and consciously. During the encoding phase, each maskedface (fearful or neutral) was presented to participants six times for 17 ms each, using a backward masking paradigm. During the retrieval phase,…

It has long been argued that perceptual processing of faces and words is largely independent, highly specialised and strongly lateralised. Studies of patients with either pure alexia or prosopagnosia have strongly contributed to this view. The aim of our study was to investigate how visual...

performed within normal range on at least one test of visual categorisation, strongly suggesting that their abnormal performance with words and faces does not represent a generalised visuo-perceptual deficit. Our results suggest that posterior areas in both hemispheres may be critical for both reading...

While the benefits of alternating phase shifted masks in improving lithographic process windows at increased resolution are well known throughout the lithography community, broad implementation of this potentially powerful technique has been slow due to the inherent complexity of the layout design and mask manufacturing process. This paper will review a project undertaken at IBM's Semiconductor Research and Development Center and Mask Manufacturing and Development facility to understand the technical and logistical issues associated with the application of alternating phase shifted mask technology to the gate level of a full microprocessor chip. The work presented here depicts an important milestone toward integration of alternating phase shifted masks into the manufacturing process by demonstrating an automated design solution and yielding a functional alternating phase shifted mask. The design conversion of the microprocessor gate level to a conjugate twin shifter alternating phase shift layout was accomplished with IBM's internal design system that automatically scaled the design, added required phase regions, and resolved phase conflicts. The subsequent fabrication of a nearly defect free phase shifted mask, as verified by SEM based die to die inspection, highlights the maturity of the alternating phase shifted mask manufacturing process in IBM's internal mask facility. Well defined and recognized challenges in mask inspection and repair remain and the layout of alternating phase shifted masks present a design and data preparation overhead, but the data presented here demonstrate the feasibility of designing and building manufacturing quality alternating phase shifted masks for the gate level of a microprocessor.

In the continuous battle to improve critical dimension (CD) uniformity, especially for 45-nanometer (nm) logic advanced products, one important recent advance is the ability to accurately predict the mask CD uniformity contribution to the overall global wafer CD error budget. In most wafer process simulation models, mask error contribution is embedded in the optical and/or resist models. We have separated the mask effects, however, by creating a short-range mask process model (MPM) for each unique mask process and a long-range CD uniformity mask bias map (MBM) for each individual mask. By establishing a mask bias map, we are able to incorporate the mask CD uniformity signature into our modelling simulations and measure the effects on global wafer CD uniformity and hotspots. We also have examined several ways of proving the efficiency of this approach, including the analysis of OPC hot spot signatures with and without the mask bias map (see Figure 1) and by comparing the precision of the model contour prediction to wafer SEM images. In this paper we will show the different steps of mask bias map generation and use for advanced 45nm logic node layers, along with the current results of this new dynamic application to improve hot spot verification through Brion Technologies' model-based mask verification loop.

Abstract: The article presents three contemporary art projects that, in various ways, thematise questions regarding numerical representation of the human face in relation to the identification of faces, for example through the use of biometric video analysis software, or DNA technology. The Dutch...... and critically examine bias in surveillance technologies, as well as scientific investigations, regarding the stereotyping mode of the human gaze. The American artist Heather Dewey-Hagborg creates three-dimensional portraits of persons she has “identified” from their garbage. Her project from 2013 entitled....... The three works are analysed with perspectives to historical physiognomy and Francis Galton's composite portraits from the 1800s. It is argued that, rather than being a statistical compression like the historical composites, contemporary statistical visual portraits (composites) are irreversible...

complexity of defects encountered. The variety arises due to factors such as defect nature, size, shape and composition; and the optical phenomena occurring around the defect. This paper focuses on preliminary characterization results, in terms of classification and size estimation, obtained by Calibre MDPAutoClassify tool on a variety of mask blank defects. It primarily highlights the challenges faced in achieving the results with reference to the variety of defects observed on blank mask substrates and the underlying complexities which make accurate defect size measurement an important and challenging task.

In electron beam writing on EUV mask, it has been reported that CD linearity does not show simple signatures as observed with conventional COG (Cr on Glass) masks because they are caused by scattered electrons form EUV mask itself which comprises stacked heavy metals and thick multi-layers. To resolve this issue, Mask Process Correction (MPC) will be ideally applicable. Every pattern is reshaped in MPC. Therefore, the number of shots would not increase and writing time will be kept within reasonable range. In this paper, MPC is extended to modeling for correction of CD linearity errors on EUV mask. And its effectiveness is verified with simulations and experiments through actual writing test.

The aim of this study was to determine the influence of sex on hemispheric asymmetry and cooperation in a face recognition task. We used a masked priming paradigm in which the prime stimulus was centrally presented; it could be a bisymmetric face or a hemi-face in which facial information was presented in the left or the right visual field and…

Full Text Available We investigated “anger superiority” in single-face judgements. Angry, or threatening, faces are easier to find than smiling ones (Hansen & Hansen, 1988 but it remains controversial whether this reflects emotional effects on the basis of the whole face or rather perceptual effects on the basis of parts. We sought this question differently from most previous studies that used the visual search paradigm. We presented a picture of angry, smiling, or neutral face (extracted from ATR DB99 database that has been confirmed for emotional strength either to the left or to the right of the fixation mark, which was followed by a mask, and the participants were asked to make a forced-choice judgement of anger or smile. The results showed that neutral faces were significantly biased towards anger with upright presentation but not with inverted presentation. Angry and smiling faces were judged equally well with upright presentation, while there was notable reduction of correct responses only for angry face with inverted presentation. Difference between hemifields was not clear. The results suggest that angry faces are judged on the basis of configural processing of the whole face, while smiling faces may be judged more locally on the basis of parts.

Teaching experience at The Lab School of Washington has shown that learning-disabled children and adults cope with their lack of self-esteem and feelings of stupidity by developing masks to hide their hurt. These include masks of super-competence, helplessness, invisibility, clowning, injustice collecting, indifference, boredom, outrageousness,…

Masked hypertension (blood pressure that is normal in the physicians' office but elevated elsewhere) is a common phenomenon as prevalence among studies varies from 8 to 45% and is seen at all ages. large discrepancies, however, exist between studies that have dealt with masked hypertension. It is of

This slide presaentation reviews the complications and challenges in developing computer systems for Coded Mask Imaging telescopes. The coded mask technique is used when there is no other way to create the telescope, (i.e., when there are wide fields of view, high energies for focusing or low energies for the Compton/Tracker Techniques and very good angular resolution.) The coded mask telescope is described, and the mask is reviewed. The coded Masks for the INTErnational Gamma-Ray Astrophysics Laboratory (INTEGRAL) instruments are shown, and a chart showing the types of position sensitive detectors used for the coded mask telescopes is also reviewed. Slides describe the mechanism of recovering an image from the masked pattern. The correlation with the mask pattern is described. The Matrix approach is reviewed, and other approaches to image reconstruction are described. Included in the presentation is a review of the Energetic X-ray Imaging Survey Telescope (EXIST) / High Energy Telescope (HET), with information about the mission, the operation of the telescope, comparison of the EXIST/HET with the SWIFT/BAT and details of the design of the EXIST/HET.

Many investigators have proved that Dead Sea salt and mud are useful in treating skin disorders and skin diseases. Therefore, the black mud has been extensively used as a base for the preparation of soaps, creams, and unguents for skin care. This study concerns a facial mask made mainly of Dead Sea mud. The effects of temperature and shearing conditions on the rheological behavior of the facial mask were investigated. The mud facial mask exhibited a shear thinning behavior with a yield stress. It was found that the apparent viscosity of the mask has a strong dependence on the shear rate as well as on the temperature. The facial mask exhibited a maximum yield stress and very shear thinning behavior at 40 degrees C, which is attributed to the gelatinization of the polysaccharide used to stabilize the mud particles. On the other hand, the mud mask exhibited a time-independent behavior at low temperatures and shear rates and changed to a thixotropic behavior upon increasing both the temperature and the shear rate. The shear thinning and thixotropic behaviors have a significant importance in the ability of the facial mask to spread on the skin: the Dead Sea mud mask can break down for easy spreading, and the applied film can gain viscosity instantaneously to resist running. Moreover, particle sedimentation, which in this case would negatively affect consumer acceptance of the product, occurs slowly due to high viscosity at rest conditions.

Two different types of filtering respiratory masks are available in healthcare settings. The first ones are used to protect patients from droplets coming from the mouth of healthcare workers (HCW) and the second ones are protective masks. For the moment, we lack information regarding application of Ministry of Health recommendations and on adherence of HCW to mask use. Geres, the HCW exposure risk study group, and the INRS, are now conducting a survey in several hospitals in France to evaluate the use of respiratory masks in healthcare settings. Two phases are planned. Phase I is a self survey using a questionnaire for occupational doctors and hygienists and phase II includes three steps on HCW behavior: evaluation of knowledge and practice concerning respiratory masks, evaluation of respiratory mask use, evaluation of wear and fit test in a context of airborne isolation with a FFP1 and FFP2 respiratory mask. Phase I is finished and phase II is beginning. The first phase I data show that the Ministry's recommendations are observed: respiratory masks are available, written recommendations are present; information and training are organized for healthcare workers. Phase II results are not available yet.

The introduction of extreme ultraviolet (EUV) lithography into high volume manufacturing requires the development of a new mask technology. In support of this, Intel Corporation has established a pilot line devoted to encountering and eliminating barriers to manufacturability of EUV masks. It concentrates on EUV-specific process modules and makes use of the captive standard photomask fabrication capability of Intel Corporation. The goal of the pilot line is to accelerate EUV mask development to intersect the 32nm technology node. This requires EUV mask technology to be comparable to standard photomask technology by the beginning of the silicon wafer process development phase for that technology node. The pilot line embodies Intel's strategy to lead EUV mask development in the areas of the mask patterning process, mask fabrication tools, the starting material (blanks) and the understanding of process interdependencies. The patterning process includes all steps from blank defect inspection through final pattern inspection and repair. We have specified and ordered the EUV-specific tools and most will be installed in 2004. We have worked with International Sematech and others to provide for the next generation of EUV-specific mask tools. Our process of record is run repeatedly to ensure its robustness. This primes the supply chain and collects information needed for blank improvement.

Full Text Available OBJECTIVES: The aim of the study was to determine rates of mask-wearing, of respiratory infection and the factors associated with mask-wearing and of respiratory infection in healthcare workers (HCWs in Beijing during the winter of 2007/2008. METHODS: We conducted a survey of 400 HCWs working in eight hospitals in Beijing by face to face interview using a standardized questionnaire. RESULTS: We found that 280/400 (70.0% of HCWs were compliant with mask-wearing while in contact with patients. Respiratory infection occurred in 238/400 (59.5% subjects from November, 2007 through February, 2008. Respiratory infection was higher among females (odds ratio [OR], 2.00 [95% confidence interval {CI}, 1.16-3.49] and staff working in larger hospitals (OR, 1.72 [95% CI, 1.092.72], but was lower among subjects with seasonal influenza vaccination (OR, 0.46 [95% CI, 0.280.76], wearing medical masks (reference: cotton-yarn; OR, 0.60 [95% CI, 0.39-0.91] or with good mask-wearing adherence (OR, 0.60 [95% CI, 0.37-0.98]. The risk of respiratory infection of HCWs working in low risk areas was similar to that of HCWs in high risk area. CONCLUSION: Our data suggest that female HCWs and staffs working in larger hospitals are the focus of prevention and control of respiratory infection in Beijing hospitals. Mask-wearing and seasonal influenza vaccination are protective for respiratory infection in HCWs; the protective efficacy of medical masks is better than that of cotton yarn ones; respiratory infection of HCWs working in low risk areas should also be given attention.

Full Text Available OBJECTIVES: The aim of the study was to determine rates of mask-wearing, of respiratory infection and the factors associated with mask-wearing and of respiratory infection in healthcare workers (HCWs in Beijing during the winter of 2007/2008. METHODS: We conducted a survey of 400 HCWs working in eight hospitals in Beijing by face to face interview using a standardized questionnaire. RESULTS: We found that 280/400 (70.0% of HCWs were compliant with mask-wearing while in contact with patients. Respiratory infection occurred in 238/400 (59.5% subjects from November, 2007 through February, 2008. Respiratory infection was higher among females (odds ratio [OR], 2.00 [95% confidence interval {CI}, 1.16-3.49] and staff working in larger hospitals (OR, 1.72 [95% CI, 1.092.72], but was lower among subjects with seasonal influenza vaccination (OR, 0.46 [95% CI, 0.280.76], wearing medical masks (reference: cotton-yarn; OR, 0.60 [95% CI, 0.39-0.91] or with good mask-wearing adherence (OR, 0.60 [95% CI, 0.37-0.98]. The risk of respiratory infection of HCWs working in low risk areas was similar to that of HCWs in high risk area. CONCLUSION: Our data suggest that female HCWs and staffs working in larger hospitals are the focus of prevention and control of respiratory infection in Beijing hospitals. Mask-wearing and seasonal influenza vaccination are protective for respiratory infection in HCWs; the protective efficacy of medical masks is better than that of cotton yarn ones; respiratory infection of HCWs working in low risk areas should also be given attention.

Context. Phase-mask coronagraphy is advantageous in terms of inner working angle and discovery space. It is however still plagued by drawbacks such as sensitivity to tip-tilt errors and chromatism. A nulling stellar coronagraph based on the adaptive phase-mask concept using polarization interferometry is presented in this paper. Aims. Our concept aims at dynamically and achromatically optimizing the nulling efficiency of the coronagraph, making it more immune to fast low-order aberrations (tip-tilt errors, focus, ...). Methods. We performed numerical simulations to demonstrate the value of the proposed method. The active control system will correct for the detrimental effects of image instabilities on the destructive interference. The mask adaptability both in size, phase and amplitude also compensates for manufacturing errors of the mask itself, and potentially for chromatic effects. Liquid-crystal properties are used to provide variable transmission of an annulus around the phase mask, but also to achieve t...

For the next years optical lithography stays at 193nm with a numerical aperture of 1.35. Mask design becomes more complex, mask and lithography specifications tighten. The k1 factor comes close to 0.25 which leads to a tremendously increased Mask Error Enhancement Factor (MEEF). This means that CD errors on mask are getting highly amplified on wafer. Process control becomes more important than ever. Accurate process control is a key factor to success to maintain a high yield in chip production. One key parameter to ensure a high and reliable functionality for any integrated circuit is the critical dimension uniformity (CDU). There are different contributors which impact the intra-field CD performance at wafer such as mask CD uniformity, scanner fingerprint, resist process etc. In the present work we focus on improvement of mask CD signature which is one of the main contributors to intra-field CD uniformity. The mask CD uniformity has been measured by WLCD32 which measures the CD based on proven aerial image technology. Based on this CD input the CD uniformity was corrected by CDC200TM and afterwards verified by WLCD32 measurement. The CDC200TM tool utilizes an ultrafast femto-second laser to write intra-volume shading elements (Shade-In ElementsTM) inside the bulk material of the mask. By adjusting the density of the shading elements, the light transmission through the mask is locally changed in a manner that improves wafer CDU when the corrected mask is printed. Additionally, the impact of the improved CD uniformity on the lithography process window was investigated. Goal of the work is to establish a process flow for mask CD uniformity improvement based on mask CD metrology by WLCD32 and mask CD uniformity control by CDC200TM and to verify its impact on the lithography process window. The proposed process flow will be validated by wafer prints. It was shown that the WLCD32 has an excellent correlation to wafer data and an outstanding CD repeatability. It provides

The security analysis of physical encryption protocol based on coherent pulse position modulation (CPPM) originated by Yuen is one of the most interesting topics in the study of cryptosystem with a security level beyond the Shannon limit. Although the implementation of CPPM scheme has certain difficulty, several methods have been proposed recently. This paper deals with the CPPM encryption in terms of symplectic transformation, which includes a phase mask encryption as a special example, and formulates a unified security analysis for such encryption schemes. Specifically, we give a lower bound of Eve's symbol error probability using reliability function theory to ensure that our proposed system exceeds the Shannon limit. Then we assume the secret key is given to Eve after her heterodyne measurement. Since this assumption means that Eve has a great advantage in the sense of the conventional cryptography, the lower bound of her error indeed ensures the security level beyond the Shannon limit. In addition, we show some numerical examples of the security performance.

This letter presents a face normalization algorithm based on 2-D face model to rec-ognize faces with variant postures from front-view face.A 2-D face mesh model can be extracted from faces with rotation to left or right and the corresponding front-view mesh model can be estimated according to facial symmetry.Then based on the relationship between the two mesh models,the nrmalized front-view face is formed by gray level mapping.Finally,the face recognition will be finished based on Principal Component Analysis(PCA).Experiments show that better face recognition performance is achieved in this way.

This letter presents a face normalization algorithm based on 2-D face model to recognize faces with variant postures from front-view face. A 2-D face mesh model can be extracted from faces with rotation to left or right and the corresponding front-view mesh model can be estimated according to the facial symmetry. Then based on the inner relationship between the two mesh models, the normalized front-view face is formed by gray level mapping. Finally, the face recognition will be finished based on Principal Component Analysis (PCA). Experiments show that better face recognition performance is achieved in this way.

Females are generally better than males at recognizing facial emotions. However, it is not entirely clear whether and in what way females may also excel at non-affective face recognition. Here, we tested males and females on two perceptual face recognition tasks that involved only neutral expressions: detection and identity discrimination. On face detection (Experiment 1), females were significantly more accurate than males in detecting upright faces. This gender difference was reduced during inverted face detection, and not present during tree detection, suggesting that the magnitude of the gender difference for performance co-varies with the extent to which face processing mechanisms are involved. On facial identity discrimination (Experiment 2), females again outperformed males, particularly when face images were masked by visual noise, or the delay between comparison face images was extended from 0.5 to 3s. These results reveal a female advantage in processing face-specific information and underscore the role of perceptual factors in socially relevant gender differences.

Masking and crowding are major phenomena associated with contextual modulations, but the relationship between them remains unclear. We have recently shown that crowding is apparent in the fovea when the time available for processing is limited, pointing to the strong relationship between crowding in the spatial and temporal domains. Models of crowding emphasize the size (acuity) of the target and the spacing between the target and flankers as the main determinants that predict crowding. Our model, which is based on lateral interactions, posits that masking and crowding are related in the spatial and temporal domains at the fovea and periphery and that both can be explained by the increasing size of the human perceptive field (PF) with increasing eccentricity. We explored the relations between masking and crowding using letter identification and contrast detection by correlating the crowding effect with the estimated size of the PF and with masking under different spatiotemporal conditions. We found that there is a large variability in PF size and crowding effects across observers. Nevertheless, masking and crowding were both correlated with the estimated size of the PF in the fovea and periphery under a specific range of spatiotemporal parameters. Our results suggest that under certain conditions, crowding and masking share common neural mechanisms that underlie the spatiotemporal properties of these phenomena in both the fovea and periphery. These results could explain the transfer of training gains from spatiotemporal Gabor masking to letter acuity, reading, and reduced crowding.

Phonological deficits in dyslexia are well documented. However, there is an ongoing discussion about whether visual deficits limit the reading skills of people with dyslexia. Here, we investigated visual crowding and backward masking. We presented a Vernier (i.e., two vertical bars slightly offset to the left or right) and asked observers to indicate the offset direction. Vernier stimuli are visually similar to letters and are strongly affected by crowding, even in the fovea. To increase task difficulty, Verniers are often followed by a mask (i.e., backward masking). We measured Vernier offset discrimination thresholds for the basic Vernier task, under crowding, and under backward masking, in students with dyslexia (n = 19) and age and intelligence matched students (n = 27). We found no group differences in any of these conditions. Controls with fast visual processing (good backward masking performance), were faster readers. By contrast, no such correlation was found among the students with dyslexia, suggesting that backward masking does not limit their reading efficiency. These findings indicate that neither elevated crowding nor elevated backward masking pose a bottleneck to reading skills of people with dyslexia.

Spectrophotometric stability, which is crucial in the spectral characterization of transiting exoplanets, is affected by photometric variations arising from field-stop loss in space telescopes with pointing jitter or primary mirror deformation. This paper focuses on a new method for removing slit-loss or field-stop-loss photometric variation through the use of a pupil mask. Two types of pupil function are introduced: the first uses conventional (e.g., Gaussian or hyper-Gaussian) apodizing patterns; whereas the second, which we call a block-shaped mask, employs a new type of pupil mask designed for high photometric stability. A methodology for the optimization of a pupil mask for transit observations is also developed. The block-shaped mask can achieve a photometric stability of 10-5 for a nearly arbitrary field-stop radius when the pointing jitter is smaller than approximately 0.7λ /D and a photometric stability of 10-6 at a pointing jitter smaller than approximately 0.5λ /D. The impact of optical aberrations and mask imperfections upon mask performance is also discussed.

Microelectronics industry leaders consistently cite the cost and cycle time of mask technology and mask supply among the top critical issues for lithography. A survey was designed by SEMATECH with input from semiconductor company mask technologists and merchant mask suppliers to objectively assess the overall conditions of the mask industry. With the continued support of the industry, this year's assessment was the tenth in the current series of annual reports. This year's survey is basically the same as the 2005 through 2011 surveys. Questions are grouped into six categories: General Business Profile Information, Data Processing, Yields and Yield Loss Mechanisms, Delivery Times, Returns, and Services. Within each category is a multitude of questions that ultimately produce a detailed profile of both the business and technical status of the critical mask industry. We received data from 11 companies this year, which was a record high since the beginning of the series. The responding companies represented more than 96% of the volume shipped and about 90% of the 2011 revenue for the photomask industry. These survey reports are often used as a baseline to gain perspective on the technical and business status of the mask and microelectronics industries. They will continue to serve as a valuable reference to identify strengths and opportunities. Results can also be used to guide future investments in critical path issues.

We have manufactured organic field-effect transistors by using shadow masks that are patterned by a screen printing system. The 50-nm-thick pentacene layer is sublimed as a channel in the vacuum system through the shadow mask on the base film with a multilayer patterned by ink-jet. After the deposition of the pentacene layer, the shadow mask is peeled off from the base film without any mechanical damages to the lower structures. The mobility in the saturation regime is 0.4cm2/Vs and the on-off ratio exceeds 105.

Masked hypertension has been 'unmasked' by the use of the out-of-office measurement of blood pressure, as home BP monitoring or ambulatory blood pressure monitoring has become available. The term masked hypertension could be used more widely than the original version of masked hypertension; morning hypertension, stress-induced hypertension, and nocturnal hypertension are all classified as subtypes of masked hypertension. Masked hypertension can also be seen in patients with diabetes, that could change clinical practice in diabetes. Masked hypertension is associated with cardiovascular events, but most of the outcome studies are on antihypertensive medications. Therefore, masked hypertension includes insufficient treatment of hypertension. In Dr Pickering's latest review of masked hypertension, prehypertension or high normal blood pressure was stressed as an associating factor with masked hypertension. The biggest theme in the field of hypertension is how we can detect masked hypertension. I present two interesting cases of possible masked hypertension in this commentary.

It has been previously established that extraverts who are skilled at interpersonal interaction perform significantly better than introverts on a face-specific recognition memory task. In our experiment we further investigate the relationship between extraversion and face recognition, focusing on famous face recognition and face matching. Results indicate that more extraverted individuals perform significantly better on an upright famous face recognition task and show significantly larger face inversion effects. However, our results did not find an effect of extraversion on face matching or inverted famous face recognition.

Mask inspection is essential for the success of any pattern-transfer lithography technology, and EUV Lithography in particular faces unique challenges. EUV masks resonant-reflective multilayer coatings have a narrow, wavelength-specific response that dramatically affects the way that defects appear, or disappear, at various illuminating wavelengths. Furthermore, the ever-shrinking size of 'critical' defects limits the potential effectiveness of DUV inspection techniques over time. Researchers pursuing numerous ways of finding and characterizing defects on EUV masks and have met with varying degrees of success. Their lessons inform the current, urgent exploration to select the most effective techniques for high-volume manufacturing. Ranging from basic research and demonstration experiments to commercial inspection tool prototypes, we survey the recent history of work in this area, including sixteen projects in Europe, Asia, and America. Solutions range from scanning beams to microscopy, dark field imaging to pattern transfer.

The availability of defect-free masks remains one of the key challenges for inserting extreme ultraviolet lithography (EUVL) into high volume manufacturing. yet link data is available for understanding native defects on real masks. In this paper, a full-field EUV mask is fabricated to investigate the printability of various defects on the mask. The printability of defects and identification of their source from mask fabrication to handling were studied using wafer inspection. The printable blank defect density excluding particles and patterns is 0.63 cm{sup 2}. Mask inspection is shown to have better sensitivity than wafer inspection. The sensitivity of wafer inspection must be improved using through-focus analysis and a different wafer stack.

This brief guide discusses the mounting of overhead transparencies on frames, the types of mounts, the proper masking for presentation, and the use of overlays. Numerous line drawings provide the reader with a helpful visual reference. (RAO)

Masking material and a thickening agent preserve limited unanodized areas when aluminum surfaces are anodized with chromic acid. For protection of large areas it combines well with a certain self-adhesive plastic tape.

In the article there is considered a phenomena of shamanism as a cultural universal. Analysis object is a clay mask of National Museum of the Republic of Kazakhstan. It was found in Keder settlement (Kuiryktobe), located in Otrar Oasis at one of the most busy part of the Silk Road. The mask as shamanistic ritual attribute is considered as an obligatory condition for meditative function of shaman.

2-D cues to perceived depth organization have been used to segregate test and mask stimulus components in a discrimination task. Observers made either spatial-frequency or orientation judgments on a rectangular test component by itself or in the presence of constant rectangular masks. There were two basic masking conditions: same-plane or different-plane. In the same-plane conditions, the test components and masks are perceived as existing in the same depth plane. In the different-plane conditions, the test and mask components are perceived to exist in different depth planes. The perception of different depth planes was achieved by using perceived occlusion, which could place either component closer or further from the observer. The results suggest that when test and mask components are separated into different depth planes they no longer influence one another. This effect could be observed in either depth organization, test components in front of the masks or mask components in front of the test. These results indicate that the figure-ground organization of components is not important. Only the designation as existing in the same or different depth planes affects whether or not a mask is effective.

Masked uncontrolled hypertension (MUCH) is diagnosed in patients treated for hypertension who are normotensive in the clinic but hypertensive outside. In this study of 333 veterans with CKD, we prospectively evaluated the prevalence of MUCH as determined by ambulatory BP monitoring using three definitions of hypertension (daytime hypertension ≥135/85 mmHg; either nighttime hypertension ≥120/70 mmHg or daytime hypertension; and 24-hour hypertension ≥130/80 mmHg) or by home BP monitoring (hypertension ≥135/85 mmHg). The prevalence of MUCH was 26.7% by daytime ambulatory BP, 32.8% by 24-hour ambulatory BP, 56.1% by daytime or night-time ambulatory BP, and 50.8% by home BP. To assess the reproducibility of the diagnosis, we repeated these measurements after 4 weeks. Agreement in MUCH diagnosis by ambulatory BP was 75-78% (κ coefficient for agreement, 0.44-0.51), depending on the definition used. In contrast, home BP showed an agreement of only 63% and a κ coefficient of 0.25. Prevalence of MUCH increased with increasing clinic systolic BP: 2% in the 90-110 mmHg group, 17% in the 110-119 mmHg group, 34% in the 120-129 mmHg group, and 66% in the 130-139 mmHg group. Clinic BP was a good determinant of MUCH (receiver operating characteristic area under the curve 0.82; 95% confidence interval 0.76-0.87). In diagnosing MUCH, home BP was not different from clinic BP. In conclusion, among people with CKD, MUCH is common and reproducible, and should be suspected when clinic BP is in the prehypertensive range. Confirmation of MUCH diagnosis should rely on ambulatory BP monitoring.

Full Text Available For the imaging of faint companions, phase mask coronagraphy has the dual advantages of a small inner working angle and high throughput. This paper summarizes our recent work in developing phase masks and in demonstrating their capabilities at JPL. Four-quadrant phase masks have been manufactured at JPL by means of both evaporation and etching, and we have been developing liquid crystal vortex phase masks in partnership with a commercial vendor. Both types of mask have been used with our extreme adaptive optics well-corrected subaperture at Palomar to detect known brown dwarf companions as close as ~ 2.5 λ/D to stars. Moreover, our recent vortex masks perform very well in laboratory tests, with a demonstrated infrared contrast of about 10−6 at 3 λ/D, and contrasts of a few 10−7 with an initial optical wavelength device. The demonstrated performance already meets the needs of ground-based extreme adaptive optics coronagraphy, and further planned improvements are aimed at reaching the 10−10 contrast needed for terrestrial exoplanet detection with a space-based coronagraph.

Full Text Available This paper discuss a relationship between mask and myth and how the appropriate analysis by Claude Levi-Strauss may make clearer a complex field of masks in the part of North America. Claude Levi-Strauss stressed the multi- layered character of myth structure. Similar multi-layered character can be seen at the level of expression, content and meaning of Salish, Kwakiutl and other unique masks of this part of North America. Claude Levi-Strauss analysed certain myths trying to explain ‘the path’ of the masks that belong to the people with similar languages, or those who lived nearby. The mythology of Tsimshian, Tlingit and Haïda people have certain common characteristics that point to the similarities with the nearby groups (Kwakiutl. Despite differences that exist at the level of meanings of the masks, there is also common ‘mythological heritage’ of the people who used to live in the Northern Pacific Coast. Claude Levi-Strauss showed that there is no final solution in the myth analysis, and that there is no possibility that the dissection of the problem will reveal some hidden unity. "As mythical though does not want to start clearly somewhere and come somewhere, it never goes through its whole trajectory: there is always something waiting to be fullfield. The same way as rituals, myths are infinite." It seems that Levi-Strauss explanation of the Path of masks goes in that direction.

In vertical seismic profiling (VSP) data processing, the first step might be to separate the down-going wavefield from the up-going wavefield. When using a masking filter for VSP wave separation, there are difficulties associated with two termination ends of the up-going waves. A critical challenge is how the masking filter can restore the energy tails, the edge effect associated with these terminations uniquely exist in VSP data. An effective strategy is to implement masking filters in both τ-p and f-k domain sequentially. Meanwhile it uses a median filter, producing a clean but smooth version of the down-going wavefield, used as a reference data set for designing the masking filter. The masking filter is implemented adaptively and iteratively, gradually restoring the energy tails cut-out by any surgical mute. While the τ-p and the f-k domain masking filters target different depth ranges of VSP, this combination strategy can accurately perform in wave separation from field VSP data.

In a landmark study, Wright et al. [Nature 387, 176-178 (1997)] reported an apparent backward-masking deficit in language-impaired children. Subsequently, these controversial results have been influential in guiding treatments for childhood language problems. In this study we revisited Wright et al.'s temporal-masking paradigm to evaluate listener uncertainty effects. Masked detection was measured for 20-ms sinusoids (480, 1000, or 1680 Hz) presented at temporal positions before, during, or after a gated narrowband (W=600-1400 Hz) masker. Listener uncertainty was investigated by cueing various stimulus temporal properties with a 6000-Hz sinusoid presented either ipsi- or contra-lateral to the test ear or bilaterally. The primary cueing effect was measured in the backward-masking condition for a contralateral cue gated simultaneously with the on-frequency 1000-Hz signal. The resulting cued masked-detection threshold was reduced to quiet threshold. No significant cueing effects were obtained for other signal temporal positions in the masker nor for any off-frequency signal conditions. These results indicate that (1) uncertainty can be reduced or eliminated for on-frequency backward masking by cueing the signal and (2) the deficit reported by Wright et al. for language-impaired children may reflect uncertainty and confusion rather than a temporal-processing deficit per se. [Research supported by NIDCD.

EUV developed in the last decade to the most promising Second contributor is the fact that EUV mask is currently in contrary to optical mask not yet equipped with sealed pellicle, leading to much higher risk of mask contamination. Third reason is use of EUV mask in vacuum, possibly leading to deposition of vacuum contaminants on the EUV mask surface. Latter reason in combination with tight requirements on backside cleanliness lead to the request of frequent recleaning of the EUV mask, in order to sustain mask lifetime similar to that of optical mask. Mask cleaning process alters slightly the surface of any mask - binary COG mask, as well as phase shift mask of any type and naturally also of the EUV mask as well. In case of optical masks the changes are almost negligible, as the mask is exposed to max. 10-20 re-cleans within its life time. These modifications can be expressed in terms of different specified parameters, e.g. CD shift, phase/trans shift, change of the surface roughness etc. The CD shift, expressed as thinning (or exceptionally thickening) of the dark features on the mask is typically in order of magnitude 0.1nm per process run, which is completely acceptable for optical mask. Projected on the lifetime of EUV mask, assuming 100 clean process cycles, this will lead to CD change of about 10nm. For this reason the requirements for EUV mask cleaning are significantly tighter, << 0.1 nm per process run. This task will look even more challenging, when considering, that the tools for CD measurement at the EUV mask are identical as for optical mask. There is one aspect influencing the CD shift, which demands attention. The mask composition of the EUV mask is significantly different from the optical mask. More precisely there are 2 materials influencing the estimated CD in case of EUV mask, whereas there is one material only in case of optical masks, in first approximation. For optical masks, the CD changes can be attributed to modification of the absorber

Full Text Available The need to increase security in open or public spaces has in turn given rise to the requirement to monitor these spaces and analyse those images on-site and on-time. At this point, the use of smart cameras – of which the popularity has been increasing – is one step ahead. With sensors and Digital Signal Processors (DSPs, smart cameras generate ad hoc results by analysing the numeric images transmitted from the sensor by means of a variety of image-processing algorithms. Since the images are not transmitted to a distance processing unit but rather are processed inside the camera, it does not necessitate high-bandwidth networks or high processor powered systems; it can instantaneously decide on the required access. Nonetheless, on account of restricted memory, processing power and overall power, image processing algorithms need to be developed and optimized for embedded processors. Among these algorithms, one of the most important is for face detection and recognition. A number of face detection and recognition methods have been proposed recently and many of these methods have been tested on general-purpose processors. In smart cameras – which are real-life applications of such methods – the widest use is on DSPs. In the present study, the Viola-Jones face detection method – which was reported to run faster on PCs – was optimized for DSPs; the face recognition method was combined with the developed sub-region and mask-based DCT (Discrete Cosine Transform. As the employed DSP is a fixed-point processor, the processes were performed with integers insofar as it was possible. To enable face recognition, the image was divided into sub-regions and from each sub-region the robust coefficients against disruptive elements – like face expression, illumination, etc. – were selected as the features. The discrimination of the selected features was enhanced via LDA (Linear Discriminant Analysis and then employed for recognition. Thanks to its

We are now at a major junction in lithography where non-optical lithographies, such as Electron Projection Lithography (EPL) [1], are being introduced. The mask used in EPL is a non-transparent silicon substrate with a thin silicon (~2μm) membrane with openings for electrons to pass through acting as a scatterer. This must be inspected as defects may cause printable defects. Initial mask inspection work has used SEM inspection to find these defects. However, we have historically used optical mask inspection tools, utilising wavelengths at or above what we are using for imaging, to qualify masks. This technology has been increasingly difficult to sustain as we have moved from imaging using mercury lamp based sources to pulsed excimer laser based sources that are not very suited to the inspection imaging. Indeed, review of defects found has moved from optical microscopes to SEM based tools. Inspection tools have also evolved, with the first SEM based mask inspection tools being developed to find the smallest defects, however these have the penalty of very low throughput. We will show the potential of using optical systems for the transmissive inspection of these EPL masks. The high potential of existing tools will be shown together with the need for a next generation of inspection tools. We will show that simulations indicate that an inspection source with 193nm wavelength would be required for the detection of 50nm defects on a mask used to print 70nm dense lines. It will also be shown how the position of the defect within the membrane greatly influences detection as well as the implications of moving to a thinner silicon membrane.

High and low spatial frequency information has been shown to contribute differently to the processing of emotional information. In three priming studies using spatial frequency filtered emotional face primes, emotional face targets, and an emotion categorization task, we investigated this issue further. Differences in the pattern of results between short and masked, and short and long unmasked presentation conditions emerged. Given long and unmasked prime presentation, high and low frequency primes triggered emotion-specific priming effects. Given brief and masked prime presentation in Experiment 2, we found a dissociation: High frequency primes caused a valence priming effect, whereas low frequency primes yielded a differentiation between low and high arousing information within the negative domain. Brief and unmasked prime presentation in Experiment 3 revealed that subliminal processing of primes was responsible for the pattern observed in Experiment 2. The implications of these findings for theories of early emotional information processing are discussed.

Full Text Available Early Class III malocclusion treatment may not have long-term stability due to mandibular growth. Although some features of this malocclusion point to a better prognosis, it is practically impossible for the orthodontist to foresee cases that require new intervention. Many patients need retreatment, whether compensatory or orthodontic-surgical. The present study reports the case of a Class III patient treated at the end of the mixed dentition with the use of a facemask followed by conventional fixed appliances. The case remains stable 10 years after treatment completion. It was presented to the Brazilian Board of Orthodontics and Dentofacial Orthopedics (BBO as a requirement for the title of certified by the BBO.

Four masked priming experiments are reported investigating the effect of inserting an unrelated word between the masked prime and the target. When the intervening word is visible, identity priming is reduced to the level of one-letter-different form priming, but form priming is largely unaffected. However, when the intervening word is itself…

The present invention relates to an etching mask comprising silicon containing block copolymers produced by self-assembly techniques onto silicon or graphene substrate. Through the use of the etching mask, nanostructures having long linear features having sub-10 nm width can be produced....

Four masked priming experiments are reported investigating the effect of inserting an unrelated word between the masked prime and the target. When the intervening word is visible, identity priming is reduced to the level of one-letter-different form priming, but form priming is largely unaffected. However, when the intervening word is itself…

preintubation preparation because of delirium. A convenience sample of emergency department and ICU patients was enrolled. Patients received a dissociative dose of ketamine, allowing preoxygenation with high-flow nonrebreathermask or noninvasive positive pressure ventilation (NIPPV). After preoxygenation...

In the evaluation of new manufacturing processes, metrology is a key function, beginning with the first step of process development through the final step of everyday mass production at the fabrication floor level. RIM-type phase shift masks are expected to be the first application of phase shift masks in high volume production, since they provide improved lithography process capability at the expense of only moderate complexity in their manufacturing. Measurements of critical dimension (CD) and pattern position (overlay) on experimental rim-type and chromeless phase shift masks are reported. Pattern placement (registration) was measured using the Leitz LMS 2000. The overall design and important components were already described. The pattern placement of the RIM type phase shift structures on the photomask described above was determined within a tolerance of 25 nm (3s); nominal accuracy was within 45 nm (3s). On the chromeless phase shift mask the measurement results were easily obtained using a wafer intensity algorithm available with the system. The measurement uncertainties were less than 25 nm and 50 nm for precision and nominal accuracy respectively. The measurement results from the Leitz CD 200 using transmitted light were: a CD- distribution of 135 nm (3s) on a typical 6 micrometers structure all over the mask; the 0.9 micrometers RIM structure had a distribution of 43 nm (3s). Typical long term precision performance values for the CD 200 on both chrome and phase shift structures have been less than 15 nm.

EUV lithography is currently the favorite and most promising candidate among the next generation lithography (NGL) technologies. Decade ago the NGL was supposed to be used for 45 nm technology node. Due to introduction of immersion 193nm lithography, double/triple patterning and further techniques, the 193 nm lithography capabilities was greatly improved, so it is expected to be used successfully depending on business decision of the end user down to 10 nm logic. Subsequent technology node will require EUV or DSA alternative technology. Manufacturing and especially process development for EUV technology requires significant number of unique processes, in several cases performed at dedicated tools. Currently several of these tools as e.g. EUV AIMS or actinic reflectometer are not available on site yet. The process development is done using external services /tools with impact on the single unit process development timeline and the uncertainty of the process performance estimation, therefore compromises in process development, caused by assumption about similarities between optical and EUV mask made in experiment planning and omitting of tests are further reasons for challenges to unit process development. Increased defect risk and uncertainty in process qualification are just two examples, which can impact mask quality / process development. The aim of this paper is to identify critical aspects of the EUV mask manufacturing with respect to defects on the mask with focus on mask cleaning and defect repair and discuss the impact of the EUV specific requirements on the experiments needed.

Lithography at its limit of resolution is a highly non- linear pattern transfer process. Typically the shapes of printed features deviate considerably from their corresponding features in the layout. This deviation is known as Optical Proximity Effect, and its correction Optical Proximity effect Correction or OPC. Although many other so-called optical enhancement technologies are applied to cope with the issues of lithography at its limit of resolution, almost none of these can re-store the linearity of the pattern transfer. Hence fully functional OPC has become a very basic requirement for current and future lithography processes. In general, proximity effects are two-dimensional (2d) effects. Thus any measurement of proximity effects or any characterization of the effectiveness of OPC has to be two- dimensional. As OPC modifies shapes in the data for mask writing in a way to compensate for the expected proximity effects of the following processing steps, parameters describing the particular OPC-mask quality is a major concern. One-dimensional mask specifications, such as linewidth mean-to-target and uniformity, pattern placement, and maximum size of a tolerable defect, are not sufficient anymore to completely describe the functionality of a given mask for OPC. Two-dimensional mask specifications need to be evaluated. We present in this paper a basic concept for 2d metrology. Examples for 2d measurements to assess the effectiveness of OPC are given by the application of an SEM Image Analysis tool to an advanced 130nm process.

The current study assessed the success of masking omega-3 (Ω3) and psychotherapy in clinical trials of youth with depression or bipolar spectrum disorder. Participants were youth ages 7-14 with DSM-IV-TR diagnosed depressive (n = 72) or bipolar spectrum (n = 23) disorders. Inclusion diagnoses were depressive disorder, cyclothymic disorder, or bipolar disorder not otherwise specified. Exclusion diagnoses included bipolar I or II disorder, chronic medical condition or autism. Youth participated in 2 × 2 randomized controlled trials, in which they received Ω3 or placebo (PBO) and psychoeducational psychotherapy (PEP) or active monitoring (AM). Participants and study staff (including independent interviewers) were masked to Ω3/PBO allocation. Besides the masked independent interviewers, one coprincipal investigator (Co-PI) was fully masked to both conditions and completed all consensus conference ratings postrandomization. At the endpoint assessment or last completed interview, interviewers and the masked Co-PI guessed whether each child was assigned to Ω3 or PBO and to PEP or AM. Masking failure was calculated using the degree of correct guesses above chance level using binomial tests across all participants for Ω3 versus PBO and PEP versus AM. For all guessers, Ω3 allocation was guessed correctly approximately half the time (50%-52.5%). Rates of correct guessing were higher for PEP, but only the interviewer guesses were correct significantly more often (58.5%-68.7%) than chance. Reporting of masking success should be an essential element of RCTs. Psychotherapy is generally more difficult to mask, but with attentive masking procedures reasonable masking can be achieved.

Respirator fit testing is necessary before entering hazardous working environments to ensure that the respirator, when worn, satisfies a minimum fit and that the wearer knows when the respirator fits properly. In the many countries that do not have fit testing or total inward leakage regulations (including Korea), however, many workers wearing respirators may be potentially exposed to hazardous environments. It is necessary to suggest a useful tool to provide an alternative for fit testing in these countries. This study was conducted to evaluate fitting performance for quarter-mask respirators, and fit factors in facial size categories based on face lengths and lip lengths of the wearers. A total of 778 subjects (408 males, 370 females) were fit tested for three quarter masks: Sejin Co. SK-6 (Ulsan, Korea), Yongsung Co. YS-2010 S (Seoul, Korea), and 3 M Co. Series 7500 Medium (MN, USA) masks with a PortaCount 8020 (TSI Co., USA). A facial dimension survey of the subjects was conducted to develop facial size categories, on the basis of face length and lip length. Geometric mean fit factors (GMFFs) of Series 7500 Medium were found to be the highest of the three respirators. All of the respirators were more suitable for males than females in fitting performance. The Series 7500 Medium fitted a large number of the males tested, since the GMFFs for males were above 100 for every box of facial size categories, and high pass proportion rates were shown at an individual fit factor level of 100. The YS-2010 S provides an adequate fit for males in a limited range of facial dimensions. The Series 7500 Medium is more limited in providing adequate fit for females at specific facial dimensions than for males. For adequate fitting performance, the SK-6 is not preferentially recommended for Korean male and female workers due to low GMFFs and pass proportions. The result of this study indicates that after more accurate studies are performed, facial size categories, on the basis of

Underwater noise, whether of natural or anthropogenic origin, has the ability to interfere with the way in which marine mammals receive acoustic signals (i.e., for communication, social interaction, foraging, navigation, etc.). This phenomenon, termed auditory masking, has been well studied in humans and terrestrial vertebrates (in particular birds), but less so in marine mammals. Anthropogenic underwater noise seems to be increasing in parts of the world's oceans and concerns about associated bioacoustic effects, including masking, are growing. In this article, we review our understanding of masking in marine mammals, summarise data on marine mammal hearing as they relate to masking (including audiograms, critical ratios, critical bandwidths, and auditory integration times), discuss masking release processes of receivers (including comodulation masking release and spatial release from masking) and anti-masking strategies of signalers (e.g. Lombard effect), and set a research framework for improved assessment of potential masking in marine mammals.

Coherent diffractive imaging (CDI) provides new opportunities for high resolution X-ray imaging with simultaneous amplitude and phase contrast. Extensions to CDI broaden the scope of the technique for use in a wide variety of experimental geometries and physical systems. Here, we experimentally demonstrate a new extension to CDI that encodes additional information through the use of a series of randomly coded masks. The information gained from the few additional diffraction measurements removes the need for typical object-domain constraints; the algorithm uses prior information about the masks instead. The experiment is performed using a laser diode at 532.2 nm, enabling rapid prototyping for future X-ray synchrotron and even free electron laser experiments. Diffraction patterns are collected with up to 15 different masks placed between a CCD detector and a single sample. Phase retrieval is performed using a convex relaxation routine known as "PhaseCut" followed by a variation on Fienup's input-output algorit...

This PhD project is a part of Center for Nanostructured Graphene (CNG) activities. The aim of the project is to develop a new lithography method for creation of highly ordered nanostructures with as small as possible feature and period sizes. The method should be applicable for graphene...... polymer masks is developed. Mask fabrication is realized by microtoming of 30-60 nm thin sections from pre-aligned polymer monoliths with different morphologies. The resulting polymer masks are then transferred to both silicon and graphene substrates. Hexagonally packed hole patterns with 10 nm hole...... diameter and 20 nm periodicity are successfully transferred to both substrates. The method allowed to realize the first ever transfer of moiré patterns to silicon. Furthermore, in collaboration with CNG, device with nanostructured graphene are fabricated and electrical measurements made on these devices...

Full Text Available The data encryption standard is a pioneering and farsighted standard which helped to set a new paradigm for encryption standards. But now DES is considered to be insecure for some application. Asymmetric mask protected DES is an advanced encryption method for effectively protecting the advanced DES. There are still probabilities to improve its security. This paper propose a method, which introduce a RSA key generation scheme in mask protected DES instead of plain key, which result in enhancement in the security of present asymmetric mask protected DES. We further propose a Vedic mathematical method of RSA implementation which reduce the complexity of computation in RSA block thereby resulting in reduced delay (four timesthat improves the performance of overall system. The software implementation was performed using Xilinx 13.2 and Model-Sim was used for the simulation environment.

We investigated the physiological mechanism of grapheme-color synesthesia using metacontrast masking. A metacontrast target is rendered invisible by a mask that is delayed by about 60 ms; the target and mask do not overlap in space or time. Little masking occurs, however, if the target and mask are simultaneous. This effect must be cortical, because it can be obtained dichoptically. To compare the data for synesthetes and controls, we developed a metacontrast design in which nonsynesthete controls showed weaker dichromatic masking (i.e., the target and mask were in different colors) than monochromatic masking. We accomplished this with an equiluminant target, mask, and background for each observer. If synesthetic color affected metacontrast, synesthetes should show monochromatic masking more similar to the weak dichromatic masking among controls, because synesthetes could add their synesthetic color to the monochromatic condition. The target-mask pairs used for each synesthete were graphemes that elicited strong synesthetic colors. We found stronger monochromatic than dichromatic U-shaped metacontrast for both synesthetes and controls, with optimal masking at an asynchrony of 66 ms. The difference in performance between the monochromatic and dichromatic conditions in the synesthetes indicates that synesthesia occurs at a later processing stage than does metacontrast masking.

Mask registration control is one of the key performance specifications during the mask qualification process. It is becoming an important factor for yield improvement with the continuously tightening registration specs driven by tight wafer overlay specs. Understanding the impact of miss classified masks on the final wafer yield is gaining more and more attention, especially with the appearance of Multiple Patterning Technologies, where mask to mask overlay effect on wafer is heavily influenced by mask registration. ZEISS has established a promising closed loop solution implemented in the mask house, where the PROVE® system - a highly accurate mask registration and overlay metrology measurement tool, is being used to feed the RegC® - a registration and mask to mask overlay correction tool that can also accurately predict the correction potential in advance. The well-established RegC® process typically reaches 40-70% improvement of the mask registration/overlay error standard deviation. The PROVE® - RegC® closed loop solution has several advantages over alternative registration control methods apart of the mask re-write saving. Among the advantages is the capability to correct for pellicle mounting registration effects without the need to remove the pellicle. This paper will demonstrate improved method for enhanced mask to mask overlay control based on a new scheme of data acquisition and performance validation by the PROVE®. The mask registration data as well as additional mask information will be used to feed the RegC® correction process. Significantly improved mask to mask overlay correction results will be discussed and presented in details.

In the face of renewed competition from Hollywood since the early 1980s and the challenges posed to Europe's national cinemas by the fall of the Wall in 1989, independent filmmaking in Europe has begun to re-invent itself. European Cinema: Face to Face with Hollywood re-assesses the different debate

This paper uses Deleuze and Guattari's concept of faciality to analyse the teacher's face. According to Deleuze and Guattari, the teacher-face is a special type of face because it is an "overcoded" face produced in specific landscapes. This paper suggests four limit-faces for teacher faciality that actualise different mixes of significance and…

High efficient mask logistics as well as safe and high quality mask storage are essential requirements within an advanced lithography area of a modern logic waferfab. Fast operational availability of the required masks at the exposure tool with excellent mask condition requires a safe mask handling, safeguarding of high mask quality over the whole mask usage time without any quality degradation and an intelligent mask logistics. One big challenge is the prevention of haze on high advanced phase shift masks used in a high volume production line for some thousands of 248nm or 193nm exposures. In 2008 Infineon Dresden qualified a customer specific developed semi-bare mask storage system from DMSDynamic Micro Systems in combination with a high advanced mask handling and an interconnected complex logistic system. This high-capacity mask storage system DMS M1900.22 for more than 3000 masks with fully automated mask and box handling as well as full-blown XCDA purge has been developed and adapted to the Infineon Lithotoollandscape using Nikon and SMIF reticle cases. Advanced features for ESD safety and mask security, mask tracking via RFID and interactions with the exposure tools were developed and implemented. The stocker is remote controlled by the iCADA-RSM system, ordering of the requested mask directly from the affected exposure tool allows fast access. This paper discusses the advantages and challenges for this approach as well as the practical experience gained during the implementation of the new system which improves the fab performance with respect to mask quality, security and throughput. Especially the realization of an extremely low and stable humidity level in addition with a well controlled air flow at each mask surface, preventing masks from haze degradation and particle contamination, turns out to be a notable technical achievement. The longterm stability of haze critical masks has been improved significantly. Relevant environmental parameters like

This paper describes recent developments in three areas ofmasked ion beam lithography (MIBL). These are 1) fabrication oflarge area, low distortion, silicon stencilmasks for demagnifying ion projection lithography, 2) fabrication ofstencil masks with nanometer scale resolution for 1:1 proximity printing, and 3) development of a direct method of alignment using the ion beam induced fluorescence of Si02. These topics are discussed below. Demagnifying ion projection masks: We describe the fabrication of stencil masks in large area, low stress (10 MPa), n-type silicon membranes. The projection masks have a silicon foil area 95 mm in diameter, thicknesses between 1.5-5 and resolution of0.6um. Measured distortion (3a) in the IPL masks ranges between 0.23gm and 0.65,um, with an experimental error of 0.20 1um. Proximity printing masks: A process is described for fabricating stencil masks with 50 nm resolution in low stress, n-type silicon membranes. Membranes less than 0.5 ,ttm thick are shown to be free of the sidewall taper that limits resolution in thicker masks. These thin membranes show a slightly flared profile due to the imperfectly collimated etching ions. Alignment: A direct method of alignment is being developed which uses the ion beam induced fluorescence of Si02 marks. Fluorescence yield is characterized as a function of ion energy and resist coating thickness. The yield for Si02 is in the range between 0.1-1.0 photons/proton, while the yields for Si, Al, and photoresist are negligibly small. Thus, a simple alignment technique can be implemented where registration of a grating in the mask with a corresponding oxide pattern is detected as a fluorescence maximum. A simple model predicts that 50 nm alignment can be accomplished, following a 1 im prealignment, in 2 seconds.

Stars like our Sun are members of galaxies, and most galaxies are themselves members of clusters of galaxies. In these, they move around among each other in a mostly slow and graceful ballet. But every now and then, two or more of the members may get too close for comfort - the movements become hectic, sometimes indeed dramatic, as when galaxies end up colliding. ESO PR Photo 12/04 shows an example of such a cosmic tango. This is the superb triple system NGC 6769-71, located in the southern Pavo constellation (the Peacock) at a distance of 190 million light-years. This composite image was obtained on April 1, 2004, the day of the Fifth Anniversary of ESO's Very Large Telescope (VLT). It was taken in the imaging mode of the VIsible Multi-Object Spectrograph (VIMOS) on Melipal, one of the four 8.2-m Unit Telescopes of the VLT at the Paranal Observatory (Chile). The two upper galaxies, NGC 6769 (upper right) and NGC 6770 (upper left), are of equal brightness and size, while NGC 6771 (below) is about half as bright and slightly smaller. All three galaxies possess a central bulge of similar brightness. They consist of elderly, reddish stars and that of NGC 6771 is remarkable for its "boxy" shape, a rare occurrence among galaxies. Gravitational interaction in a small galaxy group NGC 6769 is a spiral galaxy with very tightly wound spiral arms, while NGC 6770 has two major spiral arms, one of which is rather straight and points towards the outer disc of NGC 6769. NGC 6770 is also peculiar in that it presents two comparatively straight dark lanes and a fainter arc that curves towards the third galaxy, NGC 6771 (below). It is also obvious from this new VLT photo that stars and gas have been stripped off NGC 6769 and NGC 6770, starting to form a common envelope around them, in the shape of a Devil's Mask. There is also a weak hint of a tenuous bridge between NGC 6769 and NGC 6771. All of these features testify to strong gravitational interaction between the three galaxies

Besides the mask market for IC manufacturing, which mainly uses 6 inch sized masks, the market for the so called large area masks is growing very rapidly. Typical applications of these masks are mainly wafer bumping for current packaging processes, color filters on TFTs, and Flip Chip manufacturing. To expose e.g. bumps and similar features on 200 mm wafers under proximity exposure conditions 9 inch masks are used, while in 300 mm wafer bumping processes (Fig. 1) 14 inch masks are handled. Flip Chip manufacturing needs masks up to 28 by 32 inch. This current maximum mask dimension is expected to hold for the next 5 years in industrial production. On the other hand shrinking feature sizes, just as in case of the IC masks, demand enhanced sensitivity of the inspection tools. A defect inspection tool for those masks is valuable for both the mask maker, who has to deliver a defect free mask to his customer, and for the mask user to supervise the mask behavior conditions during its lifetime. This is necessary because large area masks are mainly used for proximity exposures. During this process itself the mask is vulnerable by contacting the resist on top of the wafers. Therefore a regular inspection of the mask after 25, 50, or 100 exposures has to be done during its whole lifetime. Thus critical resist contamination and other defects, which lead to yield losses, can be recognized early. In the future shrinking feature dimensions will require even more sensitive and reliable defect inspection methods than they do presently. Besides the sole inspection capability the tools should also provide highly precise measurement capabilities and extended review options.

Each generation of semiconductor device technology drive new and interesting resolution enhancement technology (RET"s). The race to smaller and smaller geometry"s has forced device manufacturers to k1"s approaching 0.40. The authors have been investigating the use of Chromeless phase-shifting masks (CPL) exposed with ArF, high numerical aperture (NA), and off-axis illumination (OAI) has been shown to produce production worthy sub-100nm resist patterns with acceptable overlapped process window across feature pitch. These new reticle technologies have many issues that are similar to simple binary masks. The authors have investigated the printability of defects in CPL mask technology. Programmed defects of various sizes and types have been simulated and printed for sub 100nm imaging. High resolution scanning electron microscopy has been used to characterize these defects and develop an understanding of size and type that prints. In this paper the authors will focus on image line end shortening and the impact of through dose and focus performance for very high NA ArF imaging. The authors have built a number of test structures that require superior 2D control for SRAM gate structures. Various types of line ends have been evaluated for either straight CPL mask or hybrid type builds.

The introduction of ever higher source powers in EUV systems causes increased risks for contamination and degradation of EUV masks and pellicles. Appropriate testing can help to inventory and mitigate these risks. To this end, we propose EBL2: a laboratory EUV exposure system capable of operating at

Full Text Available Object-substitution masking (OSM occurs when a briefly presented target in a search array is surrounded by small dots that remain visible after the target disappears. The reduction of target visibility occurring after OSM has been suggested to result from a specific interference with reentrant visual processing while the initial feedforward processing is thought to be left intact. We tested a prediction derived from this hypothesis: the fastest responses, being triggered before the beginning of reentrant processing, should escape the OSM interference. In a saccadic choice reaction time task, which gives access to very early stages of visual processing, target visibility was reduced either by OSM, conventional backward masking, or low stimulus contrast. A general reduction of performance was observed in all three conditions. However, the fastest saccades did not show any sign of interference under either OSM or backward masking, as they did under the low-contrast condition. This finding supports the hypothesis that masking interferes mostly with reentrant processing at later stages, while leaving early feedforward processing largely intact.

The Laryngeal Mask Airway (LMA) is an accepted adjunct for airway management in emergency patients. There are a number of case reports describing its use in transport medicine for infant to adult patients, including during flight. Although studies of the effect altitude has on air-filled tracheal tubes exists, we were unable to find documentation of the effect of altitude on laryngeal mask airways. Our objective was to assess the effect of altitude on the LMA in both fixed wing and rotary wing models. We performed an in vitro study of the effect of altitude on the LMA cuff. Infant and adult airway trainer mannequins with properly sized and inserted LMA-Classic laryngeal mask airways were monitored for cuff pressure changes while flown at altitudes commonly encountered during air medical transport. Both models demonstrated that LMA cuff pressures may exceed manufacturer recommended levels for safe use even at the relatively low altitudes experienced during rotor wing flight. Properly inserted and inflated laryngeal mask airways at ground level may result in overinflated LMA cuffs when flown to altitudes commonly used for rotor and fixed wing medical transport unless monitored and corrected.

Masking, in which one stimulus affects the detection of another, is a classic technique that has been used in visual, auditory, and tactile research, usually using stimuli that are close together to reveal local interactions. Masking effects have also been demonstrated in which a tactile stimulus alters the perception of a touch at a distant location. Such effects can provide insight into how components of the body's representations in the brain may be linked. Occasional reports have indicated that touches on one hand or forearm can affect tactile sensitivity at corresponding contralateral locations. To explore the matching of corresponding points across the body, we can measure the spatial tuning and effect of posture on contralateral masking. Careful controls are required to rule out direct effects of the remote stimulus, for example by mechanical transmission, and also attention effects in which thresholds may be altered by the participant's attention being drawn away from the stimulus of interest. The use of this technique is beneficial as a behavioural measure for exploring which parts of the body are functionally connected and whether the two sides of the body interact in a somatotopic representation. This manuscript describes a behavioural protocol that can be used for studying contralateral tactile masking.

Full Text Available Taste is an important factor in the development of dosage form. Nevertheless it is that arena of product development that has been overlooked and undermined for its importance. The problem of bitter and obnoxious taste of is a challenge to the pharmacist in the present scenario. Taste is an important parameter governing compliance. Several oral pharmaceuticals and bulking agents have unpleasant, bitter-tasting components. In numerous cases, the bitter taste modality is an undesirable trait of the product or formulations and can considerably affect its acceptability by consumers. Bitter characteristics found in such systems have been eliminated or minimized by various known processes, but no universally applicable technology for bitterness inhibition has ever been recognized. The desire of improved palatability in these products has prompted the development of numerous formulations with improved performance and acceptability Taste masking technologies offer a great scope for invention and patents. Several approaches like adding flavors and sweeteners, use of coating polymers for inhibiting bitterness, microencapsulation, prodrug formation, formation of inclusion and molecular complexes, solid dispersion system, addition of effervescent agents and application of ion exchange resins have been tried by the formulators to mask the unpleasant taste of the bitter drugs. The present review attempts to give a brief account of different technologies of taste masking with respect to dosage form and novel methods of evaluation of taste masking effect.

One of key deliverables of foundry based manufacturing is low cycletime. Building new and enhancing existing products by mask changes involves significant logistical effort, which could be reduced by standardizing data management and communication procedures among design house, mask shop, and foundry (fab) [1]. As an example, a typical process of taping out can take up to two weeks in addition to technical effort, for database handling, mask form completion, management approval, PO signoff and JDV review, translating into loss of revenue. In order to reduce this delay, we are proposing to develop a unified online system which should assist with the following functions: database edits, final verifications, document approvals, mask order entries, and JDV review with engineering signoff as required. This would help a growing number of semiconductor products to be flexibly manufactured at different manufacturing sites. We discuss how the data architecture based on a non-relational database management system (NRDMBS) extracted into a relational one (RDMBS) should provide quality information [2], to reduce cycle time significantly beyond 70% for an example 2 week tapeout schedule.

Registration is one of the most common tasks of image analysis and computer vision applications. The requirements of most registration algorithms include large capture range and fast computation so that the algorithms are robust to different scenarios and can be computed in a reasonable amount of time. For these purposes, registration in the Fourier domain using normalized cross-correlation is well suited and has been extensively studied in the literature. Another common requirement is masking, which is necessary for applications where certain regions of the image that would adversely affect the registration result should be ignored. To address these requirements, we have derived a mathematical model that describes an exact form for embedding the masking step fully into the Fourier domain so that all steps of translation registration can be computed efficiently using Fast Fourier Transforms. We provide algorithms and implementation details that demonstrate the correctness of our derivations. We also demonstrate how this masked FFT registration approach can be applied to improve the Fourier-Mellin algorithm that calculates translation, rotation, and scale in the Fourier domain. We demonstrate the computational efficiency, advantages, and correctness of our algorithm on a number of images from real-world applications. Our framework enables fast, global, parameter-free registration of images with masked regions.

The introduction of ever higher source powers in EUV systems causes increased risks for contamination and degradation of EUV masks and pellicles. Appropriate testing can help to inventory and mitigate these risks. To this end, we propose EBL2: a laboratory EUV exposure system capable of operating at

Explores the mask and masquerade traditions, focusing specifically on African culture as a source of exciting and varied materials that can help theater arts teachers and specialists who are in search of culturally diverse materials. Offers a classroom application. (PRA)

The objective of this study was to assess how the relative efficiency of N95 respirators and surgical masks might vary with different challenge aerosols, utilizing a standardized manikin head form as a surrogate to human participation. A Collision nebulizer aerosolized B. anthracis Sterne strain endospores and polystyrene latex (PSL) particles to evaluate 11 models of N95 respirators and surgical masks. An automated breathing simulator, calibrated to normal tidal volume and active breathing rate, mimicked human respiration. A manikin head form with N95 respirators or surgical masks, and manikin head form without N95 respirators or surgical masks were placed in the bioaerosol chamber. An AGI-30 sampler filled with phosphate buffered water was fitted behind the mouth of each manikin head form to collect endospore bioaerosol samples. PSL aerosols concentrations were quantified by an ARTI Hand Held Particle Counter. Geometric Mean (GM) relative efficiency of N95 respirators and surgical masks challenged with endospore bioaerosol ranged from 34-65%. In PSL aerosol experiments, GM relative efficiency ranged from 35-64% for 1.3 μm particles. GM filtration efficiency of all N95 and surgical N95 respirators filter media evaluated was ≥99% when challenged with particles ≥0.1 μm. GM filtration efficiency of surgical mask filter media ranged from 70-83% with particles ≥0.1 μm and 74-92% with 1.3 μm PSL particles. Relative efficiencies of N95 respirators and surgical masks challenged with aerosolized B. anthracis endospores and PSL were similar. Relative efficiency was similar between N95 respirators and surgical masks on a manikin head form despite clear differences in filtration efficiency. This study further highlights the importance of face seal leakage in the respiratory protection provided by N95 respirators, and demonstrates it on a human surrogate.

SixNy/Ni thin film green mask blanks were developed , and are now going to be used to replace general chromium film used for binary mask as well as to replace molydium silicide embedded material for AttPSM for I-line (365 nm), KrF (248 nm), ArF (193 nm) and Contact/Proximity lithography. A bilayer structure of a 1 nm thick opaque, conductive nickel layer and a SixNy layer is proposed for binary and phase-shifting mask. With the good controlling of plasma CVD of SixNy under silane (50 sccm), ammonia (5 sccm) and nitrogen (100 sccm), the pressure is 250 mTorr. and RF frequency 13.56 MHz and power 50 W. SixNy has enough deposition latitude to meet the requirements as an embedded layer for required phase shift 180 degree, and the T% in 193, 248 and 365 nm can be adjusted between 2% to 20% for binary and phase shifting mask usage. Ni can be deposited by E-gun, its sheet resistance Rs is less than 1.435 kΩ/square. Jeol e-beam system and I-line stepper are used to evaluate these thin film green mask blanks, feature size less than 200 nm half pitch pattern and 0.558 μm pitch contact hole can be printed. Transmission spectrums of various thickness of SixNy film are inspected by using UV spectrometer and FTIR. Optical constants of the SixNy film are measured by n & k meter and surface roughness is inspected by using Atomic Force Microscope (AFM).

The effect of surface contamination and subsequent mask surface cleaning on the lithographic performance of a EUV mask is investigated. SEMATECH's Berkeley micro-field exposure tool (MET) printed 40 nm and 50 nm line and space (L/S) patterns are evaluated to compare the performance of a contaminated and cleaned mask to an uncontaminated mask. Since the two EUV masks have distinct absorber architectures, optical imaging models and aerial image calculations were completed to determine any expected differences in performance. Measured and calculated Bossung curves, process windows, and exposure latitudes for the two sets of L/S patterns are compared to determine how the contamination and cleaning impacts the lithographic performance of EUV masks. The observed differences in mask performance are shown to be insignificant, indicating that the cleaning process did not appreciably affect mask performance.

We demonstrate an approach for fabricating photonic crystals with large three-dimensional photonic band gaps (PBG's) using single-exposure, single-beam, optical interference lithography based on diffraction of light through an optical phase mask. The optical phase mask (OPM) consists of two orthogonally oriented binary gratings joined by a thin, solid layer of homogeneous material. Illuminating the phase mask with a normally incident beam produces a five-beam diffraction pattern which can be used to expose a suitable photoresist and produce a photonic crystal template. Optical-phase-mask Lithography (OPML) is a major simplification from the previously considered multibeam holographic lithography of photonic crystals. The diffracted five-beam intensity pattern exhibits isointensity surfaces corresponding to a diamondlike (face-centered-cubic) structure, with high intensity contrast. When the isointensity surfaces in the interference patterns define a silicon-air boundary in the resulting photonic crystal, with dielectric contrast 11.9 to 1, the optimized PBG is approximately 24% of the gap center frequency. The ideal index contrast for the OPM is in the range of 1.7-2.3. Below this range, the intensity contrast of the diffraction pattern becomes too weak. Above this range, the diffraction pattern may become too sensitive to structural imperfections of the OPM. When combined with recently demonstrated polymer-to-silicon replication methods, OPML provides a highly efficient approach, of unprecedented simplicity, for the mass production of large-scale three-dimensional photonic band-gap materials.

A method used widely to study the first 250 ms of visual word recognition is masked priming: These studies have yielded a rich set of data concerning the processes involved in recognizing letters and words. In these studies, there is an implicit assumption that the early processes in word recognition tapped by masked priming are automatic, and masked priming effects should therefore be invariant across tasks. Contrary to this assumption, masked priming effects are modulated by the task goal...

Unconscious processes are often assumed immune from attention influence. Recent behavioral studies suggest however that the processing of subliminal information can be influenced by temporal attention. To examine the neural mechanisms underlying these effects, we used a stringent masking paradigm together with fMRI to investigate how temporal attention modulates the processing of unseen (masked) faces. Participants performed a gender decision task on a visible neutral target face, preceded by a masked prime face that could vary in gender (same or different than target) and emotion expression (neutral or fearful). We manipulated temporal attention by instructing participants to expect targets to appear either early or late during the stimulus sequence. Orienting temporal attention to subliminal primes influenced response priming by maskedfaces, even when gender was incongruent. In addition, gender-congruent primes facilitated responses regardless of attention while gender-incongruent primes reduced accuracy when attended. Emotion produced no differential effects. At the neural level, incongruent and temporally unexpected primes increased brain response in regions of the fronto-parietal attention network, reflecting greater recruitment of executive control and reorienting processes. Congruent and expected primes produced higher activations in fusiform cortex, presumably reflecting facilitation of perceptual processing. These results indicate that temporal attention can influence subliminal processing of face features, and thus facilitate information integration according to task-relevance regardless of conscious awareness. They also suggest that task-congruent information between prime and target may facilitate response priming even when temporal attention is not selectively oriented to the prime onset time. PMID:27764124

Using Model-Based Mask Data Preparation (MB-MDP) complex masks with complex sub-resolution assist features (SRAFs) can be written in practical write times with today's leading-edge production VSB machines by allowing overlapping VSB shots. This simulation-based approach reduces shot count by taking advantage of the added flexibility in being able to overlap shots. The freedom to overlap shots, it turns out, also increases mask fidelity, CDU on the mask, and CDU on the wafer by writing sub-100nm mask features more accurately, and with better dose margin. This paper describes how overlapping shots enhance mask and wafer quality for various sub-100nm features on ArF masks. In addition, this paper describes how EUV mask accuracy can be enhanced uniquely by allowing overlapping shots.

Affective priming refers to the phenomenon that subliminal presentation of facial emotion biases subsequent evaluation of a neutral object in the direction of the prime. The aim of the present study was to specify the neural correlates of evaluative shifts elicited by facial emotion shown below the threshold of conscious perception. We tested the hypotheses whether the amygdala is involved in negative priming, whereas the nucleus accumbens participates in positive priming. In addition, exploratory whole brain correlation analyses were conducted. During 3T fMRI scanning, pictures of sad, happy, and neutral facial expression masked by neutral faces were presented to 110 healthy adults who had to judge valence of masks on a four-point scale. There was evidence for significant negative priming based on sad faces. A correlation was observed between amygdala activation and negative priming. Activation in medial, middle, and superior frontal and middle temporo-occipital areas, and insula was also associated with negative priming. No significant priming based on happy faces was found. However, nucleus accumbens activation to happy faces correlated with the positive priming score. The present findings confirm that the amygdala but also other brain regions, especially the medial frontal cortex, appear involved in automatically elicited negative evaluative shifts.

Tests and Procedures Face-lift By Mayo Clinic Staff A face-lift (rhytidectomy) is a cosmetic surgical procedure to improve the look of your face and neck. During a face-lift, facial soft tissues are lifted, excess skin is ...

Full Text Available Rapid detection of evolutionarily relevant threats (e.g., fearful faces is important for human survival. The ability to rapidly detect fearful faces exhibits high variability across individuals. The present study aimed to investigate the relationship between behavioral detection ability and brain activity, using both event-related potential (ERP and event-related oscillation (ERO measurements. Faces with fearful or neutral facial expressions were presented for 17 ms or 200 ms in a backward masking paradigm. Forty-two participants were required to discriminate facial expressions of the maskedfaces. The behavioral sensitivity index d' showed that the detection ability to rapidly presented and masked fearful faces varied across participants. The ANOVA analyses showed that the facial expression, hemisphere, and presentation duration affected the grand-mean ERP (N1, P1, and N170 and ERO (below 20 Hz and lasted from 100 ms to 250 ms post-stimulus, mainly in theta band brain activity. More importantly, the overall detection ability of 42 subjects was significantly correlated with the emotion effect (i.e., fearful vs. neutral on ERP (r = 0.403 and ERO (r = 0.552 measurements. A higher d' value was corresponding to a larger size of the emotional effect (i.e., fearful--neutral of N170 amplitude and a larger size of the emotional effect of the specific ERO spectral power at the right hemisphere. The present results suggested a close link between behavioral detection ability and the N170 amplitude as well as the ERO spectral power below 20 Hz in individuals. The emotional effect size between fearful and neutral faces in brain activity may reflect the level of conscious awareness of fearful faces.

As mask features scale to smaller dimensions,the so-called "3-D mask effects" which have mostly been neglected before,become important.This paper properly models the 3-D thick mask effects,and then analyses the object-based inverse lithography technique using a simulated annealing algorithm to determine the mask shapes that produce the desired on-wafer results.Evaluations against rigorous simulations show that the synthesized masks provide good image fidelity up to 0.94,and this approach gives improved accuracy and faster results than existing methods.

, which gives access to very early stages of visual processing, target visibility was reduced either by OSM, conventional backward masking, or low stimulus contrast. A general reduction of performance was observed in all three conditions. However, the fastest saccades did not show any sign of interference......Object-substitution masking (OSM) occurs when a briefly presented target in a search array is surrounded by small dots that remain visible after the target disappears. The reduction of target visibility occurring after OSM has been suggested to result from a specific interference with reentrant...... visual processing while the initial feedforward processing is thought to be left intact. We tested a prediction derived from this hypothesis: the fastest responses, being triggered before the beginning of reentrant processing, should escape the OSM interference. In a saccadic choice reaction time task...

Image modeling and simulation are critical to extending the limits of leading edge lithography technologies used for IC making. Simultaneous source mask optimization (SMO) has become an important objective in the field of computational lithography. SMO is considered essential to extending immersion lithography beyond the 45nm node. However, SMO is computationally extremely challenging and time-consuming. The key challenges are due to run time vs. accuracy tradeoffs of the imaging models used for the computational lithography. We present a new technique to be incorporated in the SMO flow. This new approach is based on the reduced basis method (RBM) applied to the simulation of light transmission through the lithography masks. It provides a rigorous approximation to the exact lithographical problem, based on fully vectorial Maxwell's equations. Using the reduced basis method, the optimization process is divided into an offline and an online steps. In the offline step, a RBM model with variable geometrical param...

A multi-part mask has a pattern plate, which includes a planar portion that has the desired aperture pattern to be used during workpiece processing. The multi-part mask also has a mounting frame, which is used to hold the pattern plate. Prior to assembly, the pattern plate has an aligning portion, which has one or more holes through which reusable alignment pins are inserted. These alignment pins enter kinematic joints disposed on the mounting frame, which serve to precisely align the pattern plate to the mounting frame. After the pattern plate has been secured to the mounting frame, the aligning portion can be detached from the pattern plate. The alignment pins can be reused at a later time. In some embodiments, the pattern plate can later be removed from the mounting frame, so that the mounting frame may be reused.

Banding is a well-known artifact produced by printing systems. It usually appears as lines perpendicular to the process direction of the print. Therefore, banding is an important print quality issue which has been analyzed and assessed by many researchers. However, little literature has focused on the study of the masking effect of content for this kind of print quality issue. Compared with other image and print quality research, our work is focused on the print quality of typical documents printed on a digital commercial printing press. In this paper, we propose a Masking Mediated Print Defect Visibility Predictor (MMPDVP) to predict the visibility of defects in the presence of customer content. The parameters of the algorithm are trained from ground-truth images that have been marked by subjects. The MMPDVP could help the press operator decide whether the print quality is acceptable for specific customer requirements. Ultimately, this model can be used to optimize the print-shop workflow.

Latent inhibition refers to attenuated responding to Cue X observed when the X-outcome pairings are preceded by X-alone presentations. It has proven difficult to obtain in human adults unless the preexposure (X-alone) presentations are embedded within a masking (i.e., distracting) task. The authors hypothesized that the difficulty in obtaining latent inhibition with unmasked tasks is related to the usual training procedures, in which the preexposure and conditioning experiences are separated by a set of instructions. Experiment 1 reports latent inhibition without masking in a task in which preexposure and conditioning occur without interruption. Experiments 2 and 3 demonstrate that this attenuation in responding to target Cue X does not pass a summation test for conditioned inhibition and is context specific, thereby confirming that it is latent inhibition. Experiments 3 and 4 confirm that introducing instructions between preexposure and conditioning disrupts latent inhibition.

We studied the fit of a contrast gain control model to data of Foley (JOSA 1994), consisting of thresholds for a Gabor patch masked by gratings of various orientations, or by compounds of two orientations. Our general model includes models of Foley and Teo & Heeger (IEEE 1994). Our specific model used a bank of Gabor filters with octave bandwidths at 8 orientations. Excitatory and inhibitory nonlinearities were power functions with exponents of 2.4 and 2. Inhibitory pooling was broad in orientation, but narrow in spatial frequency and space. Minkowski pooling used an exponent of 4. All of the data for observer KMF were well fit by the model. We have developed a contrast gain control model that fits masking data. Unlike Foley's, our model accepts images as inputs. Unlike Teo & Heeger's, our model did not require multiple channels for different dynamic ranges.

EUVL mask blanks consist of a distributed Bragg reflector made of 6.7 nm-pitch bi-layers of Mo and Si deposited upon a precision Si or glass substrate. The layer deposition process has been optimized for low defects, by application of a vendor-supplied but highly modified ion-beam sputter deposition system. This system is fully automated using SMIF technology to obtain the lowest possible environmental- and handling-added defect levels. Originally designed to coat 150 mm substrates, it was upgraded in July 1999 to 200 mm and has coated runs of over 50 substrates at a time with median added defects > 100 nm below 0.05/cm2. These improvements have resulted from a number of ion-beam sputter deposition system modifications, upgrades, and operational changes, which will be discussed. Success in defect reduction is highly dependent upon defect detection, characterization, and cross- platform positional registration. We have made significant progress in adapting and extending commercial tools to this purpose, and have identified the surface scanner detection limits for different defect classes, and the signatures of false counts and non-printable scattering anomalies on the mask blank. We will present key results and how they have helped reduce added defects. The physics of defect reduction and mitigation is being investigated by a program on multilayer growth over deliberately placed perturbations (defects) of varying size. This program includes modeling of multilayer growth and modeling of defect printability. We developed a technique for depositing uniformly sized gold spheres on EUVL substrates, and have studied the suppression of the perturbations during multilayer growth under varying conditions. This work is key to determining the lower limit of critical defect size for EUV Lithography. We present key aspects of this work. We will summarize progress in all aspects of EUVL mask blank development, and present detailed results on defect reduction and mask blank

EUVL mask blanks consist of a distributed Bragg reflector made of 6.7nm-pitch bi-layers of MO and Si deposited upon a precision Si or glass substrate. The layer deposition process has been optimized for low defects, by application of a vendor-supplied but highly modified ion-beam sputter deposition system. This system is fully automated using SMIF technology to obtain the lowest possible environmental- and handling-added defect levels. Originally designed to coat 150mm substrates, it was upgraded in July, 1999 to 200 mm and has coated runs of over 50 substrates at a time with median added defects >100nm below 0.05/cm{sup 2}. These improvements have resulted from a number of ion-beam sputter deposition system modifications, upgrades, and operational changes, which will be discussed. Success in defect reduction is highly dependent upon defect detection, characterization, and cross-platform positional registration. We have made significant progress in adapting and extending commercial tools to this purpose, and have identified the surface scanner detection limits for different defect classes, and the signatures of false counts and non-printable scattering anomalies on the mask blank. We will present key results and how they have helped reduce added defects. The physics of defect reduction and mitigation is being investigated by a program on multilayer growth over deliberately placed perturbations (defects) of varying size. This program includes modeling of multilayer growth and modeling of defect printability. We developed a technique for depositing uniformly sized gold spheres on EUVL substrates, and have studied the suppression of the perturbations during multilayer growth under varying conditions. This work is key to determining the lower limit of critical defect size for EUV Lithography. We present key aspects of this work. We will summarize progress in all aspects of EUVL mask blank development, and present detailed results on defect reduction and mask blank

Application of double patterning technique has been discussed for lithography of HP 3X nm device generation. In this case, overlay budget for lithography becomes so hard that it is difficult to achieve it with only improvement of photomask's position accuracy. One of the factors of overlay error will be induced by distortion of photomask after chucking on the mask stage of exposure tool, because photomasks are bended by the force of vacuum chucking. Recently, mask flatness prediction technique was developed. This technique is simulating the surface shape of mask when it is on the mask stage by using the flatness data of free-standing state blank and the information of mask chucking stage. To use this predicted flatness data, it is possible to predict a pattern position error after exposed and it is possible to correct it on the photomask. A blank supplier developed the flatness data transfer system to mask vender. Every blanks are distinguished individually by 2D barcode mark on blank which including serial number. The flatness data of each blank is linked with this serial number, and mask vender can use this serial number as a key code to mask flatness data. We developed mask image position correction system by using 2D barcode mark linked to predicted flatness data, and position accuracy assurance system for these masks. And with these systems, we made some masks actually.

A system for displaying an accurate model of isodoses to be used in radiotherapy so that appropriate planning can be performed prior to actual treatment on a patient. The nature of the simulation of the radiotherapy planning for BNCT and Fast Neutron Therapy, etc., requires that the doses be computed in the entire volume. The "entire volume" includes the patient and beam geometries as well as the air spaces in between. Isodoses derived from the computed doses will therefore extend into the air regions between the patient and beam geometries and thus depict the unrealistic possibility that radiation deposition occurs in regions containing no physical media. This problem is solved by computing the doses for the entire geometry and then masking the physical and air regions along with the isodose contours superimposed over the patient image at the corresponding plane. The user is thus able to mask out (remove) the contour lines from the unwanted areas of the image by selecting the appropriate contour masking region from the raster image.

A 3D printed shadow mask method is presented. The 3D printer prints ABS plastic directly on the wafer, thus avoiding gaps between the wafer and the shadow mask, and deformation during the process. The wafer together with the 3D printed shadow mask was sputtered with Ti and Au. The shadow mask was released by immersion in acetone. The sputtered patches through the shadow mask were compared to the opening of the 3D printed shadow mask and the design dimensions. The patterned Au patches were larger than the printed apertures, however they were smaller than the design widths. The mask was printed in 4 min, the cost is less than one euro cent, and the process is a low temperature process suitable for temperature sensitive components.

Time-to-mask (ttm) has been growing exponentially in the subwavelength era with the increased application of advanced RET's (Resolution Enhancement Technology). Not only are a greater number of design/mask layers impacted but more-and-more layers also have more severe restrictions on critical dimension uniformity (CDU) despite operating at a very low k1 factors necessitating rigorous but practical tolerancing. Furthermore, designs are also more complex, may be built up from blocks spanning different design styles, and occupy increasingly-large Rayleigh field areas. Given these factors and scales, it's no wonder that the cycle time for verification of a design following RET, is growing however it is doing so exponentially and that this is a critical factor impeding ttm. Until an unambiguously interprable and standard Mask Design Rule (MaskDR) set is created, neither the designer nor the mask supplier can reliably verify manufacturability of the mask for the simple reason that ambiguity and inter-rule conflict are at the source of the problem and that the problem increasingly requires cooperation spanning a large ecosystem of tool, IP, and mask suppliers all needing to essentially speak the same language. Since the 130 nm node, Texas Instruments has enforced a strict set of mask rule checks (MRCs) in their mask data preparation (MDP) flow based on MaskDRs negotiated with their mask suppliers. The purpose of this effort has been to provide an a-priori guarantee that the data shipped to the mask shop can be used to manufacture a mask reliably and with high yield both from a mask standpoint and from the silicon standpoint. As has been reported earlier, mask manufacturing rules are usually determined from assumed or experimentally acquired/validated mask-manufacturing limits. These rules are then applied during RET/MDP data treatment to guide and/or limit pattern correction strategies. With increasing RET and low-k1 lithography challenges, the importance of MRCs

We present a process based on contact printed shadow masks for three dimensional microfabrication of soft and sensitive overhanging membranes in SU-8. A metal mask is transferred onto unexposed SU-8 from an elastomer stamp made of polydimethylsiloxane. This mask is subsequently embedded into the ......We present a process based on contact printed shadow masks for three dimensional microfabrication of soft and sensitive overhanging membranes in SU-8. A metal mask is transferred onto unexposed SU-8 from an elastomer stamp made of polydimethylsiloxane. This mask is subsequently embedded...... into the negative resist to protect buried material from UV-exposure. Unlike direct evaporation-deposition of a mask onto the SU-8, printing avoids high stress and radiation, thus preventing resist wrinkling and prepolymerization. We demonstrate effective monolithic fabrication of soft, 4-μm thick and 100-μm long...

Coded mask imagers are appropriate for important objectives of high energy X-ray astronomy, e.g., gamma- ray burst localization, all-sky monitors and surveys, and deep surveys of limited regions. We report results from a coded mask imager developed to establish the proof-of-concept for this technique with CZT detectors. The detector is 2 mm thick with orthogonal crossed strip readout and an advanced electrode design to improve the energy resolution. Each detector face has 22 strip electrodes, and the strip pitch and pixel size are 500 microns. ASIC readout is used and the energy resolution varies from 3 to 6 keV FWHM over the 14 to 184 keV keV range. A coded mask with 2 x 2 cycles of a 23 x 23 MURA pattern (860 micron unit cell) was built from 600 micron thick tantalum to provide good X-ray modulation up to 200 keV. The detector, mask, and a tiny Gd-153 source of 41 keV X-rays were positioned with a spacing that caused the mask cells in the shadowgram to have a projected size of 1300 microns at the detector. Multiple detector positions were used to measure the shadowgram of a full mask cycle and this was recorded with 100 percent modulation transfer by the detector, due to its factor of 2.6 oversampling of the mask unit cell, and very high strip-to-strip selectivity and spatial accuracy. Deconvolution of the shadowgram produced a correlation image in which the source was detected as a 76-sigma peak with the correct FWHM and base diameter. Off-source image pixels had gaussian fluctuations that agree closely with the measurement statistics. Off-source image defects such as might be produced by systematic effects were too small to be seen and limited to <0.5 percent of the source peak. These results were obtained with the "raw" shadowgram and image; no "flat fielding" corrections were used.

The Masked Priming Toolbox is an open-source collection of MATLAB functions that utilizes the free third-party PsychToolbox-3 (PTB3: Brainard, Spatial Vision, 10, 433-436, 1997; Kleiner, Brainard & Pelli, Perception, 36, 2007; Pelli, Spatial Vision, 10, 437-442, 1997). It is designed to allow a researcher to run masked (and unmasked) priming experiments using a variety of response devices (including keyboards, graphics tablets and force transducers). Very little knowledge of MATLAB is required; experiments are generated by creating a text file with the required parameters, and raw and analyzed data are output to Excel (as well as MATLAB) files for further analysis. The toolbox implements a variety of stimuli for use as primes and targets, as well as a variety of masks. Timing, size, location, and orientation of stimuli are all parameterizable. The code is open-source and made available on the Web under a Creative Commons License.

Photolithography process is getting more and more sophisticated for wafer production following Moore's law. Therefore, for wafer fab, consolidated and close cooperation with mask house is a key to achieve silicon wafer success. However, generally speaking, it is not easy to preserve such partnership because many engineering efforts and frequent communication are indispensable. The inattentive connection is obvious in mask rule check (MRC). Mask houses will do their own MRC at job deck stage, but the checking is only for identification of mask process limitation including writing, etching, inspection, metrology, etc. No further checking in terms of wafer process concerned mask data errors will be implemented after data files of whole mask are composed in mask house. There are still many potential data errors even post-OPC verification has been done for main circuits. What mentioned here are the kinds of errors which will only occur as main circuits combined with frame and dummy patterns to form whole reticle. Therefore, strategy optimization is on-going in UMC to evaluate MRC especially for wafer fab concerned errors. The prerequisite is that no impact on mask delivery cycle time even adding this extra checking. A full-mask checking based on job deck in gds or oasis format is necessary in order to secure acceptable run time. Form of the summarized error report generated by this checking is also crucial because user friendly interface will shorten engineers' judgment time to release mask for writing. This paper will survey the key factors of MRC in wafer fab.

Mask data file sizes are increasing as we move from technology generation to generation. The historical 30% linear shrink every 2-3 years that has been called Moore's Law, has driven a doubling of the transistor budget and hence feature count. The transition from steppers to step-and-scan tools has increased the area of the mask that needs to be patterned. At the 130nm node and below, Optical Proximity Correction (OPC) has become prevalent, and the edge fragmentation required to implement OPC leads to an increase in the number of polygons required to define the layout. Furthermore, Resolution Enhancement Techniques (RETs) such as Sub-Resolution Assist Features (SRAFs) or tri-tone Phase Shift Masks (PSM) require additional features to be defined on the mask which do not resolve on the wafer, further increasing masks volumes. In this paper we review historical data on mask file sizes for microprocessor, DRAM and Flash memory designs. We consider the consequences of this increase in file size on Mask Data Prep (MDP) activities, both within the Integrated Device Manufacturer (IDM) and Mask Shop, namely: computer resources, storage and networks (for file transfer). The impact of larger file sizes on mask writing times is also reviewed. Finally we consider, based on the trends that have been observed over the last 5 technology nodes, what will be required to maintain reasonable MDP and mask manufacturing cycle times.

Source Mask Optimization (SMO) has played an important role in technology setup and ground rule definition since the 2x nm technology node. While improvements in SMO algorithms have produced higher quality and more consistent results, the accuracy of the overall solution is critically linked to how faithfully the entire patterning system is modeled, from mask down to substrate. Fortunately, modeling technology has continued to advance to provide greater accuracy in modeling 3D mask effects, 3D resist behavior, and resist phenomena. Specifically, the Domain Decomposition Method (DDM) approximates the 3D mask response as a superposition of edge-responses.1 The DDM can be applied to a sectorized illumination source based on Hybrid-Hopkins Abbe approximation,2 which provides an accurate and fast solution for the modeling of 3D mask effects and has been widely used in OPC modeling. The implementation of DDM in the SMO flow, however, is more challenging because the shape and intensity of the source, unlike the case in OPC modeling, is evolving along the optimization path. As a result, it gets more complicated. It is accepted that inadequate pupil sectorization results in reduced accuracy in any application, however in SMO the required uniformity and density of pupil sampling is higher than typical OPC and modeling cases. In this paper, we describe a novel method to implement DDM in the SMO flow. The source sectorization is defined by following the universal pixel sizes used in SMO. Fast algorithms are developed to enable computation of edge signals from each fine pixel of the source. In this case, each pixel has accurate information to describe its contribution to imaging and the overall objective function. A more continuous angular spectrum from 3D mask scattering is thus captured, leading to accurate modeling of 3D mask effects throughout source optimization. This method is applied on a 2x nm middle-of-line layer test case. The impact of the 3D mask model accuracy on

This secondary analysis study examined the stories of six women who were impacted by trauma. These women attended a ten-week counselling group in which they participated in the construction of masks and in action-based mask work as a means of expressing and working through their trauma experiences. Based on a constructivist approach, the methodology employed in this study was a narrative inquiry centred on the work of Lieblich, Tuval-Mashiach, and Zilber (1998). The data were generated from o...

In May 2006, the Mask Design, Drawing, and Inspection Technology Research Department (Mask D2I) at the Association of Super-Advanced Electronics Technologies (ASET) launched a 4-year program for reducing mask manufacturing cost and TAT by concurrent optimization of MDP, mask writing, and mask inspection. As one of the tasks being pursued at the Mask Design Data Technology Research Laboratory, we have evaluated the effect of reducing the drawing shot counts by utilizing the repeating patterns, and showed positive impact on mask making by using CP drawing. During the past four years, we have developed a software to extract repeating patterns from fractured OPCed mask data which can be used to minimize the shot counts. In this evaluation, we have used an actual device production data obtained from the member companies of MaskD2I. To the extraction software we added new functions for extracting common repeating patterns from a set of multiple masks, and studied how this step can reduce the counts in comparison to the shot counts required during the conventional mask writing techniques. We have also developed software that uses the extraction result of repeating patterns and prepares drawing-data for the MCC/CP drawing system, which has been developed at the Mask Writing Equipment Technology Research Laboratory. With this software, we have simulated EB proximity effect on CP writing and examined how it affect the shot count reduction where CP shots with large CD errors are to be divided into VSB shots. In this paper, we will report the evaluation result of the practical application of repeating patterns in mask writing with this software.

This text intents to unfold some considerations regardind the perception of the image of the Lóri’s face, from the book Uma aprendizagem ou o livro dos prazeres, published by Clarice Lispector in 1969. For that, will be studied the politicians devices who involve the apprehension of the face as a qualifying of the subject and, at the same time, its relation with the lenguage.

Full Text Available This text intents to unfold some considerations regardind the perception of the image of the Lóri’s face, from the book Uma aprendizagem ou o livro dos prazeres, published by Clarice Lispector in 1969. For that, will be studied the politicians devices who involve the apprehension of the face as a qualifying of the subject and, at the same time, its relation with the lenguage.

Electronic layouts are usually flattened on their path from the hierarchical source downstream to the wafer. Mask data preparation has certainly been identified as a severe bottleneck since long. Data volumes are not only doubling every year along the ITRS roadmap. With the advent of optical proximity correction and phase-shifting masks data volumes are escalating up to non-manageable heights. Hierarchical treatment is one of the most powerful means to keep memory and CPU consumption in reasonable ranges. Only recently, however, has this technique acquired more public attention. Mask data preparation is the most critical area calling for a sound infrastructure to reduce the handling problem. Gaining more and more attention though, are other applications such as large area simulation and manufacturing rule checking (MRC). They all would profit from a generic engine capable to efficiently treat hierarchical data. In this paper we will present a generic engine for hierarchical treatment which solves the major problem, steady transitions along cell borders. Several alternatives exist how to walk through the hierarchy tree. They have, to date, not been thoroughly investigated. One is a bottom-up attempt to treat cells starting with the most elementary cells. The other one is a top-down approach which lends itself to creating a new hierarchy tree. In addition, since the variety, degree of hierarchy and quality of layouts extends over a wide range a generic engine has to take intelligent decisions when exploding the hierarchy tree. Several applications will be shown, in particular how far the limits can be pushed with the current hierarchical engine.

Full Text Available Objective: to improve diagnosis of latent arterial hypertension by studying the characteristics of hemodynamics and the rigidity of the vascular walls of the arteries in adolescents with this phenomenon. Material and Methods. The study involved 147 children aged 11 to 18 years who did not have heart rhythm disorders, congenital heart defects, endocrine diseases and diseases of the kidneys. They were divided into three groups on the basis of blood pressure values (BP obtained during three measurements of blood pressure according to the method of N. S. Korotkov and when conducting 24-hours ambulatory blood pressure monitoring (ABPM. Group 1 included children with blood pressure values in the range from 5 to 95 percentile. Group 2 was composed children with masked hypertension (values of office blood pressure in the range from 5 to 95 percentile but indicators of ABPM of blood pressure is greater than 95 percentile. Group 3 included children with stable arterial hypertension (blood pressure values exceeded the 95 percentile. The study was a comparative analysis of the hemodynamic and rigidity (stiffness of the arteries. Results: Most hemodynamic parameters in children with masked hypertension were higher than in children of group 1. However, these figures were lower than in children with stable arterial hypertension. Among the indicators of the rigidity of the arteries, the most sensitive indicator (dP/dt max was maximum rate of pressure rise. Children with masked hypertension had increased arterial stiffness, however it was lower than in children with stable arterial hypertension. Conclusion: The use of BPLab monitor with technology Vasotens allows physicians to evaluate the daily profile of arterial pressure, the hemodynamics and stiffness of blood vessels, which is an important step for early diagnostics of latent arterial hypertension in children

A letter in the peripheral visual field is much harder to identify in the presence of nearby letters. This is "crowding." Both crowding and ordinary masking are special cases of "masking," which, in general, refers to any effect of a "mask" pattern on the discriminability of a signal. Here we characterize crowding, and propose a diagnostic test to distinguish it from ordinary masking. In ordinary masking, the signal disappears. In crowding, it remains visible, but is ambiguous, jumbled with its neighbors. Masks are usually effective only if they overlap the signal, but the crowding effect extends over a large region. The width of that region is proportional to signal eccentricity from the fovea and independent of signal size, mask size, mask contrast, signal and mask font, and number of masks. At 4 deg eccentricity, the threshold contrast for identification of a 0.32 deg signal letter is elevated (up to six-fold) by mask letters anywhere in a 2.3 deg region, 7 times wider than the signal. In ordinary masking, threshold contrast rises as a power function of mask contrast, with a shallow log-log slope of 0.5 to 1, whereas, in crowding, threshold is a sigmoidal function of mask contrast, with a steep log-log slope of 2 at close spacing. Most remarkably, although the threshold elevation decreases exponentially with spacing, the threshold and saturation contrasts of crowding are independent of spacing. Finally, ordinary masking is similar for detection and identification, but crowding occurs only for identification, not detection. More precisely, crowding occurs only in tasks that cannot be done based on a single detection by coarsely coded feature detectors. These results (and observers' introspections) suggest that ordinary masking blocks feature detection, so the signal disappears, while crowding (like "illusory conjunction") is excessive feature integration - detected features are integrated over an inappropriately large area because there are no smaller integration

A methodology is described wherein a calibrated model-based `Virtual' Variable Shaped Beam (VSB) mask writer process simulator is used to accurately verify complex Optical Proximity Correction (OPC) and Inverse Lithography Technology (ILT) mask designs prior to Mask Data Preparation (MDP) and mask fabrication. This type of verification addresses physical effects which occur in mask writing that may impact lithographic printing fidelity and variability. The work described here is motivated by requirements for extreme accuracy and control of variations for today's most demanding IC products. These extreme demands necessitate careful and detailed analysis of all potential sources of uncompensated error or variation and extreme control of these at each stage of the integrated OPC/ MDP/ Mask/ silicon lithography flow. The important potential sources of variation we focus on here originate on the basis of VSB mask writer physics and other errors inherent in the mask writing process. The deposited electron beam dose distribution may be examined in a manner similar to optical lithography aerial image analysis and image edge log-slope analysis. This approach enables one to catch, grade, and mitigate problems early and thus reduce the likelihood for costly long-loop iterations between OPC, MDP, and wafer fabrication flows. It moreover describes how to detect regions of a layout or mask where hotspots may occur or where the robustness to intrinsic variations may be improved by modification to the OPC, choice of mask technology, or by judicious design of VSB shots and dose assignment.

Imprint lithography has been shown to be an effective technique for replication of nano-scale features. Jet and Flash* Imprint Lithography (J-FIL*) involves the field-by-field deposition and exposure of a low viscosity resist deposited by jetting technology onto the substrate. The patterned mask is lowered into the fluid which then quickly flows into the relief patterns in the mask by capillary action. Following this filling step, the resist is crosslinked under UV radiation, and then the mask is removed, leaving a patterned resist on the substrate. Criteria specific to any lithographic process for the semiconductor industry include overlay, throughput and defectivity. The purpose of this paper is to describe the technology advancements made in the reduction of particle adders in an imprint tool and introduce the new mask replication tool that will enable the fabrication of replica masks with added residual image placement errors suitable for memory devices with half pitches smaller than 15nm. Hard particles on a wafer or mask create the possibility of creating a permanent defect on the mask that can impact device yield and mask life. By using material methods to reduce particle shedding and by introducing an air curtain system, test stand results demonstrate the potential for extending mask life to better than 1000 wafers. Additionally, a new replication tool, the FPA-1100 NR2 is introduced. Mask chuck flatness simulation results were also performed and demonstrate that residual image placement errors can be reduced to as little as 1nm.

In the half pitch (hp) 16nm generation, the shot count on a mask is expected to become bipolar. The multi-patterning technology in lithography seems to maintain the shot count around 300G shots instead of increase in the number of masks needed for one layer. However, as a result of mask multiplication, the better positional accuracy would be required especially in Mask-to-Mask overlay. On the other hand, in complex OPC, the shot count on a mask is expected to exceed 1T shots. In addition, regardless of the shot count forecast, the resist sensitivity needs to be lower to reduce the shot noise effect so as to get better LER. In other words, slow resist would appear on main stream, in near future. Hence, such trend would result in longer write time than that of the previous generations. At the same time, most mask makers request masks to be written within 24 hours. Thus, a faster mask writer with better writing accuracy than those of previous generations is needed. With this background, a new electron beam mask writing system, EBM- 9000, has been developed to satisfy such requirements of the hp 16nm generation. The development of EBM-9000 has focused on improving throughput for larger shot counts and improving the writing accuracy.

Full Text Available This paper is an attempt to provide a certain “second reading” of those commonplaces which imply that a particular, personal interest always lies behind the mask of objectivity, necessity and truth. As a paradigmatic example of this kind of structure that implies “hidden truths”, here will be taken that of a revolution, whether it is a fascist, a liberal-democratic or a communist revolution. By reexamining how this motif of “truth-behind-the-mask” figures in those regimes, we will try to say something about each of them, and also about the specific kind of subject that is produced under them.

Area detectors have become the predominant type of detector for the rapid acquisition of X-ray diffraction, small-angle scattering and total scattering. These detectors record the scattering for a large area, giving each shot good statistical significance to the resulting scattered intensity I(Q) pattern. However, many of these detectors have pixel level defects, which cause error in the resulting one-dimensional patterns. In this work, new software to automatically find and mask these dead pixels and other defects is presented. This algorithm is benchmarked with both ideal simulated and experimental datasets.

Polycrystalline silicon germanium (SiGe) can offer excellent etch selectivity to silicon during cryogenic deep reactive ion etching in an SF.sub.6/O.sub.2 plasma. Etch selectivity of over 800:1 (Si:SiGe) may be achieved at etch temperatures from -80 degrees Celsius to -140 degrees Celsius. High aspect ratio structures with high resolution may be patterned into Si substrates using SiGe as a hard mask layer for construction of microelectromechanical systems (MEMS) devices and semiconductor devices.

ObjectiveTo observe the effect of the application of medical cotton gauze mask on the air leakage and the preventive effect of the mask on the nasal and facial injuries.MethodsOn the machine before the cotton facemask pack around nasal mask and fixed on the cross on the back side of the mask and in central clipping masks the snout exposed,to cover in the patient's face,fixed headband,patients felt soft and comfortable.Results Through clinical observation of patients continued on the machine for 12 hours without any discomfort,also won't lead to leakage because of the patient's face and thin differences,improved the patients on ventilator of tolerance and compliance,improved the therapeutic effect.Conclusion The respirator method can be used to solve the air leakage and crush injury of non-invasive respirator mask. This method is easy to operate and can be used by family therapy,and it can not increase the economic burden of the patients, and is easy to accept.%目的：观察应用医用棉口罩解决无创呼吸机面罩的漏气效果以及面罩对鼻面部产生压伤的预防作用。方法上机前将棉口罩包绕住鼻面罩，并在面罩的背侧交叉固定，然后在口罩中央裁剪，使其露出口鼻部，再罩于患者面部，头带固定，患者感觉柔软舒服。结果通过临床观察，患者持续上机12 h无任何不适，也不会发生因患者脸型和胖瘦有差异导致漏气，提高患者对呼吸机使用的耐受性和依从性，提高治疗效果。结论口罩法解决无创呼吸机面罩的漏气和压伤，此方法操作简单，家庭疗法的患者也可以自行使用，并且不给患者增加经济负担，易于接受。

To study the question of which processes contribute to crowding and whether these are comparable to those of visual temporal masking, we varied the stimulus onset asynchrony (SOA) between target and flankers in a crowding setting. Monotonically increasing Type A masking functions observedfor small spacings and large eccentricities indicate that the integration of information from target and flankers underlies crowding. Decreasing masking functions obtained for large spacings and small eccentricities relate processes of crowding to those contributing to Type B masking. In addition, Type B masking was more frequent with letter-like nonletter flankers than with letter flankers, suggesting that Type B masking, just like crowding over large areas, is due to higher level interactions. The rapid decrease of the effects of interletter spacing and eccentricity with increasing SOA indicates that positional information is transient.

This paper proposes a novel secure communication technique using constellation masking for applications in orthogonal frequency division multiplexing passive optical network (OFDM-PON). The constellation masking is applied both on each subcarrier and among different subcarriers. The Arnold mapping is utilized as the parameter function for the mask factors. A interleave length is employed to provide a scalable masking granularity for different ONUs. A 15.54 Gb/s constellation-masked 32QAM-OFDM signal has been successfully transmitted over 25-km single mode fiber in the experiment. Experimental results show that the proposed scheme can effectively protect the system from illegal ONU without wasting the bandwidth. The constellation-masked technique suggests an effective solution for the physical secure communication in future OFDM access network.

Reflection masked thresholds (RMTs) for the simple scenario of a test reflection masked by the direct sound (200 ms long broadband noise) were measured as a function of reflection delay for diotic and dichotic stimulus presentations. In order to discriminate between contributions to reflection...... masking from simultaneous versus forward masking, the simultaneous RMT was measured in addition to the traditional RMT. Simultaneous RM was realized by truncating the offset of the test reflection such that the test reflection and the direct sound had a common offset. By comparing the experimental results...... for the two RMTs, it is shown that forward masking effects only have a significant effect on reflection masking for delays above 7–10 ms. Moreover, binaural mechanisms were revealed which deteriorate auditory detection of test reflections for delays below 7–10 ms and enhance detection for larger delays...

In 1989, Intel's internal mask operation limited itself to research and development activities and re-inspection and pellicle application of externally manufactured masks. Recognizing the rising capital cost of mask manufacturing at the leading edge, Intel's Mask Operation management decided to offset some of these costs by manufacturing more masks internally. This was the beginning of the challenge they set to manufacture at least 50% of Intel's mask volume internally, at world class performance levels. The first step in responding to this challenge was the completion of a comprehensive operation capability analysis. A series of bottleneck improvements by focus teams resulted in an average cycle time improvement to less than five days on all product and less than two days on critical products.

Few findings in cognitive science have proved as influential as the composite face effect. When the top half of one face is aligned with the bottom half of another, and presented upright, the resulting composite arrangement induces a compelling percept of a novel facial configuration. Findings obtained using composite face procedures have contributed significantly to our understanding of holistic face processing, the detrimental effects of face inversion, the development of face perception, and aberrant face perception in clinical populations. Composite paradigms continue to advance our knowledge of face perception, as exemplified by their recent use for investigating the perceptual mechanisms underlying dynamic face processing. However, the paradigm has been the subject of intense scrutiny, particularly over the last decade, and there is a growing sense that the composite face illusion, whilst easy to illustrate, is deceptively difficult to measure and interpret. In this review, we provide a focussed overview of the existing composite face literature, and identify six priorities for future research. Addressing these gaps in our knowledge will aid the evaluation and refinement of theoretical accounts of the illusion.

It has proved that fractional differentiation can enhance the edge information and nonlinearly preserve textural detailed information in an image. This paper investigates its ability for face recognition and presents a local descriptor called histograms of fractional differential gradients (HFDG) to extract facial visual features. HFDG encodes a face image into gradient patterns using multiorientation fractional differential masks, from which histograms of gradient directions are computed as the face representation. Experimental results on Yale, face recognition technology (FERET), Carnegie Mellon University pose, illumination, and expression (CMU PIE), and A. Martinez and R. Benavente (AR) databases validate the feasibility of the proposed method and show that HFDG outperforms local binary patterns (LBP), histograms of oriented gradients (HOG), enhanced local directional patterns (ELDP), and Gabor feature-based methods.

2014 Approved for public release; distribution is unlimited. Volume phase masks in photo- thermo -refractive glass The views, opinions and/or findings...in photo- thermo -refractive glass Report Title In many applications such as beam shaping, mode conversion, and phase encoding it is necessary to alter...requiring a new means of producing phase masks. In this dissertation a method for producing robust phase masks in the bulk of photo- thermo - refractive

The projector was developed with an image converter consisting of a masked photocathode and a plane anode grid. The mask structure to be demagnified is on a quartz glass plate in a thin layer of Ti02 strongly absorbing ultraviolet light. A photoemissive layer is deposited by evaporation on the whole front side of the plate. For the demagnification of the electron image of the mask, a system is used consisting of two geometrically similar magnetic lenses in a telescopic arrangement.

Background: The aim of this study was to compare the number of repetitions to volitional failure, the blood lactate concentration, and the perceived exertion to resistance training with and without an airflow-restricting mask. Methods: Eight participants participated in a randomized, counterbalanced, crossover study. Participants were assigned to an airflow-restricting mask group (MASK) or a control group (CONT) and completed five sets of chest presses and parallel squats until failure at 75%...

The OSIRIS (Optical System for Imaging and Low-Intermediate Resolution Integrated Spectroscopy) instrument at the 10.4 m GTC has offered a multi-object spectroscopic mode since March 2014. In this paper we describe the detailed process of designing a MOS mask for OSIRIS by using the Mask Designer Tool, and give some numbers on the accuracy of the mask manufacture achievable at the telescope for its scientific use.

For many maskshops, designed parallel mask data preparation (MDP) flows accompanying with a final data comparison are viewed as a reliable method that could reduce quality risks caused by mis-operation. However, in recent years, more and more mask data mistakes have shown that present parallel MDP flows could not capture all mask data errors yet. In this paper, we will show major failure models of parallel MDP flows from analyzing MDP quality accidents and share our approaches to achieve further improvement with mask suppliers together.

This paper addresses some options and techniques in the thermal management of masks used in deep x-ray lithography. The x-ray masks are thin plates made of low-atomic-number materials on which a patterned thin film of a high-atomic-number metal has been deposited. When they are exposed to an x-ray beam, part of the radiation is transmitted to replicate the pattern on a downstream photoresist, and the remainder is absorbed in the mask in the form of heat. This heat load can cause deformation of the mask and thus image distortion in the lithography process. The mask geometry considered in the present study is 100 mm x 100 mm in area, and about 0.1 to 2 mm thick. The incident radiation is a bending magnet x-ray beam having a footprint of 60 mm x 4 mm at the mask. The mask is scanned vertically about {+-} 30 mm so that a 60 mm x 60 mm area is exposed. the maximum absorbed heat load in the mask is 80 W, which is significantly greater than a few watts encountered in previous systems. In this paper, cooling techniques, substrate material selection, transient and steady state thermal and structural behavior, and other thermo-mechanical aspects of mask design are discussed. It is shown that, while diamond and graphite remain attractive candidates, at present beryllium is a more suitable material for this purpose and, when properly cooled, can provide the necessary dimensional tolerance.

Through the four years of study in Association of Super-Advanced Electronics Technologies (ASET) on reducing mask manufacturing Turn Around Time (TAT) and cost, we have been able to establish a technology to improve the efficiency of the review process by applying a printability verification function that utilizes computational lithography simulations to analyze defects detected by a high-resolution mask inspection system. With the advent of Source-Mask Optimization (SMO) and other technologies that extend the life of existing optical lithography, it is becoming extremely difficult to judge a defect only by the shape of a mask pattern, while avoiding pseudo-defects. Thus, printability verification is indispensable for filtering out nuisance defects from high-resolution mask inspection results. When using computational lithography simulations to verify printability with high precision, the image captured by the inspection system must be prepared with extensive care. However, for practical applications, this preparation process needs to be simplified. In addition, utilizing Mask Data Rank (MDR) to vary the defect detection sensitivity according to the patterns is also useful for simultaneously inspecting minute patterns and avoiding pseudo-defects. Combining these two technologies, we believe practical mask inspection for next generation lithography is achievable. We have been improving the estimation accuracy of the printability verification function through discussion with several customers and evaluation of their masks. In this report, we will describe the progress of these practical mask verification functions developed through customers' evaluations.

and the requirements to enable calculations of the ideal binary mask using a directional system without the availability of the unmixed signals. The proposed method has a low complexity and is verified using computer simulation in both ideal and non-ideal setups showing promising results.......The ideal binary mask is often seen as a goal for time-frequency masking algorithms trying to increase speech intelligibility, but the required availability of the unmixed signals makes it difficult to calculate the ideal binary mask in any real-life applications. In this paper we derive the theory...

The UCSD, WU, UCR and Nova collaboration has made significant progress on the necessary techniques for coded mask imaging of gamma-ray bursts: position sensitive CZT detectors with good energy resolution, ASIC readout, coded mask imaging, and background properties at balloon altitudes. Results on coded mask imaging techniques appropriate for wide field imaging and localization of gamma-ray bursts are presented, including a shadowgram and deconvolved image taken with a prototype detector/ASIC and MURA mask. This research was supported by NASA Grants NAG5-5111, NAG5-5114, and NGT5-50170.

Taste masking is an important factor in the development of oral dosage forms containing bitter active pharmaceutical ingredients. Currently numerous techniques are being applied to overcome this problem. Realizing this, several researchers and pharmaceutical companies are now engaged in developing novel techniques to address the problem of taste masking evident by numerous patents filed in this area in recent times. In this review the most recent patents for taste masking are discussed and how these patents overcome the limitations of conventional approaches of taste masking is also highlighted. Novel techniques based on some recent patents such as nanohybrid, melt extrusion, non-complex cyclodextrin compositions and off taste masking are providing new realms to taste masking of bitter drugs. The present article also provides an overview of various patented platform technologies based on different techniques/mechanisms employed for taste masking. The unique features and principles of taste-masking approaches used in various patented technologies are also discussed. A better understanding of these new patents and patented technologies will help researchers and pharmaceutical industries to select the appropriate platform, or to develop innovative products with improved taste masking properties.

Orthopedic correction of skeletal Class III malocclusion in a growing patient is crucial as it can circumvent future surgical procedures. Further, as surgery is done only at a later stage, early treatment helps to avoid the detrimental effects produced by the facial disfigurement on the patient's social life. This case report describes the treatment of a child aged 9 years 6 months who had a skeletal Class III malocclusion. The treatment plan involved the use of a reverse pull headgear (facemask) and multibracket appliance therapy resulting in successful correction of the malocclusion. The treatment results were highly satisfactory resulting in improved facial esthetics, a skeletal Class I with a Dental Class I molar and canine relationship, an ideal overjet and overbite. Thus, dentoalveolar camouflage, if done in properly selected cases, alleviates the need for surgical intervention. The patient is being monitored until the end of growth to ensure the stability of treatment results.

Full Text Available Orthopedic correction of skeletal Class III malocclusion in a growing patient is crucial as it can circumvent future surgical procedures. Further, as surgery is done only at a later stage, early treatment helps to avoid the detrimental effects produced by the facial disfigurement on the patient's social life. This case report describes the treatment of a child aged 9 years 6 months who had a skeletal Class III malocclusion. The treatment plan involved the use of a reverse pull headgear (facemask and multibracket appliance therapy resulting in successful correction of the malocclusion. The treatment results were highly satisfactory resulting in improved facial esthetics, a skeletal Class I with a Dental Class I molar and canine relationship, an ideal overjet and overbite. Thus, dentoalveolar camouflage, if done in properly selected cases, alleviates the need for surgical intervention. The patient is being monitored until the end of growth to ensure the stability of treatment results.

Past studies on respirator fit or performance have mostly been done for Whites or male subjects, and little attention has been paid to minorities and Asians. To fill this gap, this study was designed to provide facial anthropometric data for Koreans and to analyze the association between facial dimensions and respirator fit factors for three brands of quarter-mask respirators, two domestic and one imported brand, using a Portacount 8020. A total of 110 university student subjects, 70 males and 40 females volunteered for participation in the study. The results of this study showed that Korean males and females have different facial dimensions as compared with those of White males and females. Unexpectedly, the imported respirator performed better than the domestic respirators. Males were found to achieve better respirator fit than females regardless of respirator brands tested. The regression analysis found no common prognostic variables with the three respirator brands studied. A stepwise logistic regression analysis was conducted to find predictive facial dimensions with respirator fits. Some facial dimensions were found to be statistically significant, but these dimensions are different from the traditionally recommended facial dimensions of face length and lip width for quarter mask. To improve respirator fit for Koreans, these different facial characteristics need to be considered in the design of quarter mask respirators.

Full Text Available The implementation of contemporary ambulatory methods of BP level evaluation in clinical practice improved diagnostics of arterial hypertension (HT, but at the same time faced with specific problems. White coat HT (WCHT and masked HT are characterized by inconsistency between ambulatory and clinical BP levels. Studying of these conditions in patients receiving antihypertensive therapy is important. The WCHT during treatment (target ambulatory BP levels and no control of clinical BP is observed in 10-20% of patients. The cardiovascular risk in these patients does not differ significantly from the risk in patients with controlled BP. Masked HT (target levels of clinical BP and no control of ambulatory BP is observed in 5,4-23% of patients. The cardiovascular risk in patients with masked HT is 2,5-3,0 times more than that in patients with controlled HT and comparable with risk in patients with ineffective antihypertensive therapy. Thus, clinical measurements can give inexact data about true BP level in one third of treated hypertensive patients. Therefore the evaluation of cardiovascular risk and correct usage of ambulatory BP measurement is important for choice of therapy tactics in patients with HT.

Full Text Available The implementation of contemporary ambulatory methods of BP level evaluation in clinical practice improved diagnostics of arterial hypertension (HT, but at the same time faced with specific problems. White coat HT (WCHT and masked HT are characterized by inconsistency between ambulatory and clinical BP levels. Studying of these conditions in patients receiving antihypertensive therapy is important. The WCHT during treatment (target ambulatory BP levels and no control of clinical BP is observed in 10-20% of patients. The cardiovascular risk in these patients does not differ significantly from the risk in patients with controlled BP. Masked HT (target levels of clinical BP and no control of ambulatory BP is observed in 5,4-23% of patients. The cardiovascular risk in patients with masked HT is 2,5-3,0 times more than that in patients with controlled HT and comparable with risk in patients with ineffective antihypertensive therapy. Thus, clinical measurements can give inexact data about true BP level in one third of treated hypertensive patients. Therefore the evaluation of cardiovascular risk and correct usage of ambulatory BP measurement is important for choice of therapy tactics in patients with HT.

Inverted and contrast-reversed faces are identified less accurately and less rapidly than normal, upright faces. The effects of inversion and contrast-reversal may reflect different sampling strategies and/or different levels of internal noise. To test these alternative hypotheses, we used a combination of noise-masking and response-consistency techniques to measure the internal noise and high-noise efficiency associated with the identification of upright, inverted, and contrast-reversed faces. We found that both face inversion and contrast-reversal reduced efficiency, but did not change internal noise.

Full Text Available Face recognition systems are now being used in many applications such as border crossings, banks, and mobile payments. The wide scale deployment of facial recognition systems has attracted intensive attention to the reliability of face biometrics against spoof attacks, where a photo, a video, or a 3D mask of a genuine user’s face can be used to gain illegitimate access to facilities or services. Though several face antispoofing or liveness detection methods (which determine at the time of capture whether a face is live or spoof have been proposed, the issue is still unsolved due to difficulty in finding discriminative and computationally inexpensive features and methods for spoof attacks. In addition, existing techniques use whole face image or complete video for liveness detection. However, often certain face regions (video frames are redundant or correspond to the clutter in the image (video, thus leading generally to low performances. Therefore, we propose seven novel methods to find discriminative image patches, which we define as regions that are salient, instrumental, and class-specific. Four well-known classifiers, namely, support vector machine (SVM, Naive-Bayes, Quadratic Discriminant Analysis (QDA, and Ensemble, are then used to distinguish between genuine and spoof faces using a voting based scheme. Experimental analysis on two publicly available databases (Idiap REPLAY-ATTACK and CASIA-FASD shows promising results compared to existing works.

The production of defect-free mask blanks, and the development of techniques for inspecting and qualifying EUV mask blanks, remains a key challenge for EUV lithography. In order to ensure a reliable supply of defect-free mask blanks, it is necessary to develop techniques to reliably and accurately detect defects on un-patterned mask blanks. These inspection tools must be able to accurately detect all critical defects whilst simultaneously having the minimum possible false-positive detection rate. There continues to be improvement in high-speed non-actinic mask blank inspection tools, and it is anticipated that these tools can and will be used by industry to qualify EUV mask blanks. However, the outstanding question remains one of validating that non-actinic inspection techniques are capable of detecting all printable EUV defects. To qualify the performance of non-actinic inspection tools, a unique dual-mode EUV mask inspection system has been installed at the Advanced Light Source (ALS) synchrotron at Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory. In high-speed inspection mode, whole mask blanks are scanned for defects using 13.5-nm wavelength light to identify and map all locations on the mask that scatter a significant amount of EUV light. In imaging, or defect review mode, a zone plate is placed in the reflected beam path to image a region of interest onto a CCD detector with an effective resolution on the mask of 100-nm or better. Combining the capabilities of the two inspection tools into one system provides the unique capability to determine the coordinates of native defects that can be used to compare actinic defect inspection with visible light defect inspection tools under commercial development, and to provide data for comparing scattering models for EUV mask defects.

This is a cookbook that covers more than 80 different recipes to teach you about different aspects of Oracle ADF Faces. It follows a practical approach and covers how to build your components for reuse in different applications. This book will also help you in tuning the performance of your ADF Faces application. If you are an ADF developer who wants to harness the power of Oracle ADF Faces to create exceptional user interfaces and reactive applications, this book will provide you with the recipes needed to do just that. You will not need to be familiar with Oracle ADF Faces, but you should be

Conclusions: During dental practice, central areas of the face such as inner part of the eyes and around the nose were most contaminated areas. These parts are the important areas for transmission of infection. It is recommended to use protective means like glasses, mask, and protective shield, which have more protection field in these areas.

Different individuals have different (and different-looking) significant others, friends, and foes. The objective of this study was to investigate whether these social face environments can shape individual face preferences. First, participants learned to associate faces with positive, neutral, or negative behaviors. Then, they evaluated morphs combining novel faces with the learned faces. The morphs (65% and 80% novel faces) were within the categorical boundary of the novel faces: They were perceived as those faces in a preliminary study. Moreover, a second preliminary study showed that following the learning, the morphs' categorization as similar to the learned faces was indistinguishable from the categorization of actual novel faces. Nevertheless, in the main experiment, participants evaluated morphs of "positive" faces more positively than morphs of "negative" faces. This learning generalization effect increased as a function of the similarity of the novel faces to the learned faces. The findings suggest that general learning mechanisms based on similarity can account for idiosyncratic face preferences.

This paper is concerned with multivariate refinement equations of the type ψ = ∑α∈Zs a(α)ψ(Mx - α),where ψ is the unknown function defined on the s-dimensional Euclidean space Rs, a is a finitely supported nonnegative sequence on Zs, and M is an s × s dilation matrix with m := |detM|. We characterize the existence of L2-solution of refinement equation in terms of spectral radius of a certain finite matrix or transition operator associated with refinement mask a and dilation matrix M. For s = 1 and M = 2, the sufficient and necessary conditions are obtained to characterize the existence of continuous solution of this refinement equation.

al., 2013, J. Acoust. Soc. Am. 130], which uses a short-term equalization-cancellation process to model binaural unmasking. In the conditions where informational masking (IM) was involved, the predicted SRTs were lower than the measured values because the model is blind to confusions experienced......Locsei et al. (2015) [Speech in Noise Workshop, Copenhagen, 46] measured ˝ speech reception thresholds (SRTs) in anechoic conditions where the target speech and the maskers were lateralized using interaural time delays. The maskers were speech-shaped noise (SSN) and reversed babble with 2, 4, or 8...... talkers. For a given interferer type, the number of maskers presented on the target’s side was varied, such that none, some, or all maskers were presented on the same side as the target. In general, SRTs did not vary significantly when at least one masker was presented on the same side as the target...

We experimentally demonstrate an extension to coherent diffractive imaging that encodes additional information through the use of a series of randomly coded masks, removing the need for typical object-domain constraints while guaranteeing a unique solution to the phase retrieval problem. Phase retrieval is performed using a numerical convex relaxation routine known as “PhaseCut,” an iterative algorithm known for its stability and for its ability to find the global solution, which can be found efficiently and which is robust to noise. The experiment is performed using a laser diode at 532.2 nm, enabling rapid prototyping for future X-ray synchrotron and even free electron laser experiments.

The current method for measuring profiles of proton bunches in accelerators is severely lacking. One must dedicate a great deal of time and expensive equipment to achieve meaningful results. A new method to complete this task uses a rotating mask with slots of three different orientations to collect this data. By scanning over the beam in three different directions, a complete profile for each bunch is built in just seconds, compared to the hours necessary for the previous method. This design was successfully tested using synchrotron radiation emitted by SPEAR3. The profile of the beam was measured in each of the three desired directions. Due to scheduled beam maintenance, only one set of data was completed and more are necessary to solve any remaining issues. The data collected was processed and all of the RMS sizes along the major and minor axes, as well as the tilt of the beam ellipse were measured.

Consciousness can be manipulated in many ways. Here, we seek to understand whether two such ways, visual masking and pharmacological intervention, share a common pathway in manipulating visual consciousness. We recorded EEG from human participants who performed a backward-masking task in which they

Since it was introduced in Forster and Davis (1984), masked priming has been widely adopted in the psycholinguistic research on visual word recognition, but there has been little consensus on its actual mechanisms, i.e. how it occurs and how it should be interpreted. This dissertation addresses two different interpretations of masked priming, one…

Background: Masked hypertension (MH) is defined as a normal blood pressure in the physician's office and an elevated blood pressure when measured out-of-office. The cause of MH may be termed the masked hypertension effect (MHE), and is not restricted to blood-pressure (BP) values around the threshol

In this paper, a fractional order chaotic masking scheme used for secure communication is introduced. Based on the general projective synchronization of two coupled fractional Chert systems, a popular masking scheme is designed. Numerical example is given to demonstrate the effectiveness of the proposed method.

We report on a soft route towards optical vortex coronagraphy based on self-engineered electrically tunable vortex masks based on liquid crystal topological defects. These results suggest that a Nature-assisted technological approach to the fabrication of complex phase masks could be useful in optical imaging whenever optical phase singularities are at play.

The polarization induced by the mask is studied by using a 3D rigorous model, wich solves Maxwell equations using the finite element method. Teh aerial image depends strongly on the change of polarization induced by the materials, thickness of the layer and pitch of the periodic masks.

This slide presentation reviews the mask design used for the internal metrology of the Space Interferometry Mission (SIM). Included is information about the project, the method of measurements with SIM, the internal metrology, numerical model of internal metrology, wavefront examples, performance metrics, and mask design

Method for recovering powdered silver-palladium braze alloy from an acrylic spray binder and rubber masking adhesive used in spray brazing is devised. The process involves agitation and dissolution of masking materials and recovery of suspended precious metal particles on a filter.

The process of making one's own mask and having one's mask made was offered as an experiential exercise for a group of Outward Bound students training to be Outward Bound instructors. The integration of expressive arts with outdoor experiential education was an attempt to encourage balance between the technical and interpersonal skill development…

The effectiveness of five recently developed contagion masks in filtering air-borne particles (1 to 5 μ diam) has been reported. One mask, available in four sizes, was 99% efficient. This mask can be reused after sterilization. The other four masks are available in only one size and are intended to be used one time only. Two of these four disposable types were more than 90% efficient but the variability of their respective test results was much greater than that for the reusable mask. The two remaining disposable types were less than 80% efficient. Two of these contagion-mask types were worn by hospital personnel for periods of up to 8 hr to determine the effect of such prolonged use on aerosol filtration efficiency. No significant decrease in filtration efficiency was noted. Physicians, nurses, and other hospital personnel who wear masks will benefit from the increased individual respiratory protection afforded by improved contagion masks. Concurrently, the incidence of hospital patient air-borne infections should be greatly reduced. Images FIG. 1 PMID:13951516

In a backward masking paradigm, a target stimulus is rapidly (<100 msec) followed by a second Stimulus. This typically results in a dramatic decrease in the visibility of the target stimulus. It has been shown that masking reduces responses in V1. It is not known, however, which process in V1 is aff

Since it was introduced in Forster and Davis (1984), masked priming has been widely adopted in the psycholinguistic research on visual word recognition, but there has been little consensus on its actual mechanisms, i.e. how it occurs and how it should be interpreted. This dissertation addresses two different interpretations of masked priming, one…

Adults with alcohol use disorders (AUDs) show different behavioral and neurological functioning during emotional processing tasks from healthy controls. Adults with a family history (FHP) of AUD also show different activation in limbic brain areas, such as the amygdala. However, it is unclear if this pattern exists during adolescence before any episodes of heavy alcohol use. We hypothesized that the amygdalar response to subliminally-presented fearful faces would be reduced in FHP adolescents compared to peers who were family history negative (FHN) for AUD. An adapted MaskedFaces paradigm was used to examine blood oxygen level-dependent response to subliminal fearful vs. neutral faces in 14 FHP (6 females, 8 males) and 15 FHN (6 females, 9 males) youth, ages 11-15 years. Both FHP and FHN youth had no history of heavy alcohol consumption. A significant difference was seen between groups in the left superior parietal lobule FHN youth showed deactivation to fearful and neutral maskedfaces compared to baseline, whereas FHP youth showed deactivation only to fearful maskedfaces. No significant differences in amygdalar activation were seen between groups. The left superior parietal lobule is part of the fronto-parietal network, which has been implicated in attentional control. Lack of reduced neural activity to neutral faces among FHP youth may represent differences in suppressing attention networks to less salient emotional stimuli, or perhaps, a higher threshold of saliency for emotional stimuli among at-risk youth.

A growing number of commercial products such as displays, solar panels, light emitting diodes (LEDs and OLEDs), automotive and architectural glass are driving demand for glass with high performance surfaces that offer anti-reflective, self-cleaning, and other advanced functions. State-of-the-art coatings do not meet the desired performance characteristics or cannot be applied over large areas in a cost-effective manner. "Rolling Mask Lithography" (RML™) enables highresolution lithographic nano-patterning over large-areas at low-cost and high-throughput. RML is a photolithographic process performed using ultraviolet (UV) illumination transmitted through a soft cylindrical mask as it rolls across a substrate. Subsequent transfer of photoresist patterns into the substrate is achieved using an etching process, which creates a nanostructured surface. The current generation exposure tool is capable of patterning one-meter long substrates with a width of 300 mm. High-throughput and low-cost are achieved using continuous exposure of the resist by the cylindrical photomask. Here, we report on significant improvements in the application of RML™ to fabricate anti-reflective surfaces. Briefly, an optical surface can be made antireflective by "texturing" it with a nano-scale pattern to reduce the discontinuity in the index of refraction between the air and the bulk optical material. An array of cones, similar to the structure of a moth's eye, performs this way. Substrates are patterned using RML™ and etched to produce an array of cones with an aspect ratio of 3:1, which decreases the reflectivity below 0.1%.

A method used widely to study the first 250 ms of visual word recognition is masked priming: These studies have yielded a rich set of data concerning the processes involved in recognizing letters and words. In these studies, there is an implicit assumption that the early processes in word recognition tapped by masked priming are automatic, and masked priming effects should therefore be invariant across tasks. Contrary to this assumption, masked priming effects are modulated by the task goal: For example, only word targets show priming in the lexical decision task, but both words and non-words do in the same-different task; semantic priming effects are generally weak in the lexical decision task but are robust in the semantic categorization task. We explain how such task dependence arises within the Bayesian Reader account of masked priming (Norris and Kinoshita, 2008), and how the task dissociations can be used to understand the early processes in lexical access. PMID:22675316

A method used widely to study the first 250 ms of visual word recognition is masked priming: These studies have yielded a rich set of data concerning the processes involved in recognizing letters and words. In these studies, there is an implicit assumption that the early processes in word recognition tapped by masked priming are automatic, and masked priming effects should therefore be invariant across tasks. Contrary to this assumption, masked priming effects are modulated by the task goal: For example, only word targets show priming in the lexical decision task, but both words and non-words do in the same-different task; semantic priming effects are generally weak in the lexical decision task but are robust in the semantic categorization task. We explain how such task dependence arises within the Bayesian Reader account of masked priming (Norris and Kinoshita, 2008), and how the task dissociations can be used to understand the early processes in lexical access.

In this paper, we propose a new technique for security enhancement in optical image encryption system. In this technique we have used the Kronecker product of two random matrices along with the double random phase encoding (DRPE) scheme in the Fresnel domain for optical image encryption. The phase masks used here are different than the random masks used in conventional DRPE scheme. These hybrid phase masks are generated by using the combination of random phase masks and a secondary image. For encryption, the input image is first randomized and then the DRPE in the Fresnel domain is performed using the hybrid phase masks. Secondly, the Kronecker product of two random matrices is multiplied with the DRPE output to get the final encoded image for transmission. The proposed technique consists of more unknown keys for enhanced security and robust against various attacks. The simulation results along with effects under various attacks are presented in support of the proposed technique.

Approximately one out of 7-8 individuals with normal blood pressure (BP) in the clinic or doctor's office and one third of patients with chronic kidney disease with normal clinic BP have elevated ambulatory BP (masked hypertension). Patients with masked hypertension have an increased risk for target organ damage and a two-fold increased risk for cardiovascular events compared to patients with normal clinic and ambulatory BP. Despite this elevated risk for adverse outcomes, patients with masked hypertension have been excluded from hypertension trials because of their normal clinic BP. It is still unknown whether the reduction in target organ damage and adverse cardiovascular outcomes associated with treatment of hypertension extends to patients with masked hypertension. Ongoing and planned interventional studies will provide an answer to this crucial question in a few years. At present, it seems reasonable to follow the suggestion of current European guidelines, that lifestyle measures and drug treatment should be considered in the presence of masked hypertension.

This paper studies the repeatability and the reliability of CDUs from a mask inspector and their correlation with CD SEM measurements on various pattern attributes such as feature sizes, tones, and orientations. Full-mask image analysis with a mask inspector is one of potential solutions for overcoming the sampling rate limitation of a mask CD SEM. By comparing the design database with the inspected dimension, the complete CDU behavior of specific patterns can be obtained without extra work and tool time. These measurements can be mapped and averaged over various spatial lengths to determine changes in relative CDU across the mask. Eventually, success of this methodology relies on the optical system of the inspector being highly stable.

Full Text Available There is substantial evidence that people with Schizophrenia (SCZ have altered visual perception and cognition, including impaired face processing. However, the mechanism(s underlying this observation are not yet known. Eye movement studies have found that people with SCZ do not direct their gaze to the most informative regions of the face (e.g., the eyes. This suggests that SCZ patients may be less able to extract the most relevant face information and therefore have decreased calculation efficiency. In addition, research with non-face stimuli indicates that SCZ is associated with increased levels of internal noise. Importantly, both calculation efficiency and internal noise have been shown to underpin face perception among healthy observers. Therefore, the current study applies noise masking to upright and inverted faces to determine if face processing deficits among those with SCZ are the result of changes in calculation efficiency, internal noise, or both. Consistent with previous results, SCZ participants exhibited higher contrast thresholds in order to identify masked target faces. However, higher thresholds were associated with increases in internal noise but unrelated to changes in calculation efficiency. These results suggest that SCZ-related face processing deficits are the result of a decreased noise-to-signal ratio. The source of increased processing noise among these patients is unclear, but may emanate from abnormal neural dynamics.

People make rapid and consequential social judgments from minimal (non-emotional) facial cues. There has been rapid progress in identifying the perceptual basis of these judgments using data-driven, computational models. In contrast, our understanding of the neural underpinnings of these judgments is rather limited. Meta-analyses of neuroimaging studies find a wide range of seemingly inconsistent responses in the amygdala that co-vary with social judgments from faces. Guided by computational models of social judgments, these responses can be accounted by positing that the amygdala (and posterior face selective regions) tracks face typicality. Atypical faces, whether positively or negatively evaluated, elicit stronger responses in the amygdala. We conclude with the promise of data-driven methods for modeling neural responses to social judgments from faces.

The authors developed an erodible mask delivery system for the argon-fluoride 193-nm excimer laser, which offers the possibility of correcting hyperopia and astigmatism as well as myopia. Masks were made of polymethylmethacrylate on a quartz window, with intended corrections for myopia and hyperopia of 2.5 and 5 diopters (D). Ablations using the mask and control ablations using an expanding diaphragm were performed in 30 eyes of 15 pigmented rabbits with an Excimed UV200 laser (Summit Technology, Inc, Waltham, MA). The rabbits were followed for 134 days with regular biomicroscopy and retinoscopic examination by two observers. Ablations with the mask to correct myopia were successful and produced stable corrections, although the higher-power mask produced undercorrections. Hyperopic masks produced paradoxic myopic corrections, possibly due to the lack of a transition zone at the edge of the mask. Corneas ablated with the mask had less sub-epithelial haze than those ablated with the diaphragm at all examinations. Results of histopathologic examination showed epithelial hyperplasia over the ablation zone in all eyes. Dichlorotriazinyl aminofluorescein collagen staining showed subepithelial new collagen in all eyes, but there was no relation between the depth of ablation at any point on the cornea and the amount of new collagen deposited there. Myopic ablations are feasible with the erodible mask, although additional calibration is needed. Hyperopic ablations were unsuccessful with the current design. Corneas ablated with the mask may be clearer than corneas ablated with the diaphragm, possibly due to a smoother ablated surface. Regression of effect after laser ablation in the rabbit model is likely due more to epithelial hyperplasia than to stromal remodeling.

We have developed a new method of accurately profiling and measuring of a mask shape by utilizing a Mask CD-SEM. The method is intended to realize high accuracy, stability and reproducibility of the Mask CD-SEM adopting an edge detection algorithm as the key technology used in CD-SEM for high accuracy CD measurement. In comparison with a conventional image processing method for contour profiling, this edge detection method is possible to create the profiles with much higher accuracy which is comparable with CD-SEM for semiconductor device CD measurement. This method realizes two-dimensional metrology for refined pattern that had been difficult to measure conventionally by utilizing high precision contour profile. In this report, we will introduce the algorithm in general, the experimental results and the application in practice. As shrinkage of design rule for semiconductor device has further advanced, an aggressive OPC (Optical Proximity Correction) is indispensable in RET (Resolution Enhancement Technology). From the view point of DFM (Design for Manufacturability), a dramatic increase of data processing cost for advanced MDP (Mask Data Preparation) for instance and surge of mask making cost have become a big concern to the device manufacturers. This is to say, demands for quality is becoming strenuous because of enormous quantity of data growth with increasing of refined pattern on photo mask manufacture. In the result, massive amount of simulated error occurs on mask inspection that causes lengthening of mask production and inspection period, cost increasing, and long delivery time. In a sense, it is a trade-off between the high accuracy RET and the mask production cost, while it gives a significant impact on the semiconductor market centered around the mask business. To cope with the problem, we propose the best method of a DFM solution using two-dimensional metrology for refined pattern.

The audibility of important sounds is often hampered due to the presence of other masking sounds. The present study investigates if a correlate of the audibility of a tone masked by noise is found in late auditory evoked potentials measured from human listeners. The audibility of the target sound...

The extension of optical projection lithography through immersion to patterning features with half pitch cash flow models to predict the affordable R&D while maintaining industry accepted internal rates of return. The results have been compared to estimates of the total R&D cost to bring a new generation of mask equipment to market for various types of tools. The analysis revealed that affordability of the required R&D is a significant problem for many suppliers of mask-making equipment. Consortia such as SEMATECH and Selete have played an important role in cost sharing selected mask equipment and material development projects. Governments in the United States, in Europe and in Japan have also helped equipment suppliers with support for R&D. This paper summarizes the challenging business model for mask equipment suppliers and highlight government support for mask equipment and materials development.

In Beijing opera. and many other traditional operas, the jing roles. or warriors, usually have their faces painted in colorful designs to represent various elements of their character. Each color has its own meaning. Red stands for loyalty and bravery: black for courage and honesty. and white is the color of deceitfulness.

This highly anticipated new edition provides a comprehensive account of face recognition research and technology, spanning the full range of topics needed for designing operational face recognition systems. After a thorough introductory chapter, each of the following chapters focus on a specific topic, reviewing background information, up-to-date techniques, and recent results, as well as offering challenges and future directions. Features: fully updated, revised and expanded, covering the entire spectrum of concepts, methods, and algorithms for automated face detection and recognition systems

rsons of interest among the billions of shared photos on these websites. Despite significant progress in face recognition, searching a large collection of unconstrained face images remains a difficult problem. To address this challenge, we propose a face search system which combines a fast search procedure, coupled with a state-of-the-art commercial off the shelf (COTS) matcher, in a cascaded framework. Given a probe face, we first filter the large gallery of photos to find the top-k most similar faces using features learned by a convolutional neural network. The k retrieved candidates are re-ranked by combining similarities based on deep features and those output by the COTS matcher. We evaluate the proposed face search system on a gallery containing 80 million web-downloaded face images. Experimental results demonstrate that while the deep features perform worse than the COTS matcher on a mugshot dataset (93.7% vs. 98.6% TAR@FAR of 0.01%), fusing the deep features with the COTS matcher improves the overall performance (99.5% TAR@FAR of 0.01%). This shows that the learned deep features provide complementary information over representations used in state-of-the-art face matchers. On the unconstrained face image benchmarks, the performance of the learned deep features is competitive with reported accuracies. LFW database: 98.20% accuracy under the standard protocol and 88.03% TAR@FAR of 0.1% under the BLUFR protocol; IJB-A benchmark: 51.0% TAR@FAR of 0.1% (verification), rank 1 retrieval of 82.2% (closed-set search), 61.5% FNIR@FAR of 1% (open-set search). The proposed face search system offers an excellent trade-off between accuracy and scalability on galleries with millions of images. Additionally, in a face search experiment involving photos of the Tsarnaev brothers, convicted of the Boston Marathon bombing, the proposed cascade face search system could find the younger brother's (Dzhokhar Tsarnaev) photo at rank 1 in 1 second on a 5M gallery and at rank 8 in 7

Which facial features allow human observers to successfully recognize expressions of emotion? While the eyes and mouth have been frequently shown to be of high importance, research on facial action units has made more precise predictions about the areas involved in displaying each emotion. The present research investigated on a fine-grained level, which physical features are most relied on when decoding facial expressions. In the experiment, individual faces expressing the basic emotions according to Ekman were hidden behind a mask of 48 tiles, which was sequentially uncovered. Participants were instructed to stop the sequence as soon as they recognized the facial expression and assign it the correct label. For each part of the face, its contribution to successful recognition was computed, allowing to visualize the importance of different face areas for each expression. Overall, observers were mostly relying on the eye and mouth regions when successfully recognizing an emotion. Furthermore, the difference in the importance of eyes and mouth allowed to group the expressions in a continuous space, ranging from sadness and fear (reliance on the eyes) to disgust and happiness (mouth). The face parts with highest diagnostic value for expression identification were typically located in areas corresponding to action units from the facial action coding system. A similarity analysis of the usefulness of different face parts for expression recognition demonstrated that faces cluster according to the emotion they express, rather than by low-level physical features. Also, expressions relying more on the eyes or mouth region were in close proximity in the constructed similarity space. These analyses help to better understand how human observers process expressions of emotion, by delineating the mapping from facial features to psychological representation.

Crowding is impairment of peripheral object identification by nearby objects. Critical spacing (the minimum target-flanker distance that does not produce crowding) scales with target eccentricity and is consistently reported as roughly equal to or less than 50% of target eccentricity (0.5e). This study demonstrates that crowding occurs far beyond the typical critical spacing when the target is weakly masked by a surrounding contour or backwards pattern mask. A target was presented at a peripheral location on every trial and participants reported its orientation. Flankers appeared at target-flanker distances of 0.3-0.7e, or were absent. The target was presented with or without a mask. When flankers were absent, the masks only mildly impaired performance. When flankers were present but the mask was absent, target identification was nearly perfect at wide target-flanker distances (0.5e-0.7e). However, when flankers were present and the target was masked, performance dropped significantly, even when target-flanker distances far exceeded the typical crowding range. This phenomenon ("supercrowding") shares critical features with standard crowding: flankers similar to the target impair performance more than dissimilar flankers, and the characteristic anisotropic profile of crowding is preserved. Supercrowding may reflect a general interaction between crowding and other forms of masking.

Recent advances in coronagraph technologies for exoplanet imaging have achieved contrasts close to 1e10 at 4 lambda/D and 1e-9 at 2 lambda/D in monochromatic light. A remaining technological challenge is to achieve high contrast in broadband light; a challenge that is largely limited by chromaticity of the focal plane mask. The size of a star image scales linearly with wavelength. Focal plane masks are typically the same size at all wavelengths, and must be sized for the longest wavelength in the observational band to avoid starlight leakage. However, this oversized mask blocks useful discovery space from the shorter wavelengths. We present here the design, development, and testing of an achromatic focal plane mask based on the concept of optical filtering by a diffractive optical element (DOE). The mask consists of an array of DOE cells, the combination of which functions as a wavelength filter with any desired amplitude and phase transmission. The effective size of the mask scales nearly linearly with wavelength, and allows significant improvement in the inner working angle of the coronagraph at shorter wavelengths. The design is applicable to almost any coronagraph configuration, and enables operation in a wider band of wavelengths than would otherwise be possible. We include initial results from a laboratory demonstration of the mask with the Phase Induced Amplitude Apodization coronagraph.

Extreme ultraviolet lithography (EUVL) is one of the most leading lithography technologies for high volume manufacturing. The EUVL is based on reflective optic system therefore critical patterning issues are arisen from the surface of photomask. Defects below and inside of the multilayer or absorber of EUV photomask is one of the most critical issues to implement EUV lithography in mass production. It is very important to pick out and repair printable mask defects. Unfortunately, however, infrastructure for securing the defect free photomask such as inspection tool is still under development furthermore it does not seem to be ready soon. In order to overcome the lack of infrastructures for EUV mask inspection, we will discuss an alternative methodology which is based on wafer inspection results using DBM (Design Based Metrology) tool. It is very challenging for metrology to quantify real mask defect from wafer inspection result since various sources are possible contributor. One of them is random defect comes from poor CD uniformity. It is probable that those random defects are majority of a defect list including real mask defects. It is obvious that CD uniformity should be considered to pick out only a real mask defect. In this paper, the methodology to determine real mask defect from the wafer inspection results will be discussed. Experiments are carried out on contact layer and on metal layer using mask defect inspection tool, Teron(KLA6xx) and DBM (Design Based Metrology) tool, NGR2170™.

Full Text Available Background: The aim of this study was to compare the number of repetitions to volitional failure, the blood lactate concentration, and the perceived exertion to resistance training with and without an airflow-restricting mask. Methods: Eight participants participated in a randomized, counterbalanced, crossover study. Participants were assigned to an airflow-restricting mask group (MASK or a control group (CONT and completed five sets of chest presses and parallel squats until failure at 75% one-repetition-maximum test (1RM with 60 s of rest between sets. Ratings of perceived exertion (RPEs, blood lactate concentrations (Lac−, and total repetitions were taken after the training session. Results: MASK total repetitions were lower than those of the CONT, and (Lac− and MASK RPEs were higher than those of the CONT in both exercises. Conclusions: We conclude that an airflow-restricting mask in combination with resistance training increase perceptions of exertion and decrease muscular performance and lactate concentrations when compared to resistance training without this accessory. This evidence shows that the airflow-restricting mask may change the central nervous system and stop the exercise beforehand to prevent some biological damage.

The statistics of shear peaks have been shown to provide valuable cosmological information beyond the power spectrum, and will be an important constraint of models of cosmology in forthcoming astronomical surveys. Surveys include masked areas due to bright stars, bad pixels etc., which must be accounted for in producing constraints on cosmology from shear maps. We advocate a forward-modeling approach, where the impacts of masking and other survey artifacts are accounted for in the theoretical prediction of cosmological parameters, rather than correcting survey data to remove them. We use masks based on the Deep Lens Survey, and explore the impact of up to 37% of the survey area being masked on LSST and DES-scale surveys. By reconstructing maps of aperture mass the masking effect is smoothed out, resulting in up to 14% smaller statistical uncertainties compared to simply reducing the survey area by the masked area. We show that, even in the presence of large survey masks, the bias in cosmological parameter estimation produced in the forward-modeling process is ≈1%, dominated by bias caused by limited simulation volume. We also explore how this potential bias scales with survey area and evaluate how much small survey areas are impacted by the differences in cosmological structure in the data and simulated volumes, due to cosmic variance.

Full Text Available The oral route is the most easy and favorable route of drug administration. The development of oral formulations containing bitter herbs has widely been required in pharmaceutical and herbal industry. The human gustatory system is capable of identifying five major taste qualities: sweet, sour, salty, bitter and umami (savory. Different receptors and transduction mechanisms are involved in the detection of each taste quality. Many efforts have been focused to improve the palatability in these products that has prompted in the development of numerous techniques of taste masking. Once a method for taste masking is adopted, it becomes apparent to evaluate the effectiveness of the taste masked product. The major hurdle in evaluation of measuring the effectiveness of taste masking is that the taste is a highly subjective property and it varies demographically and with the age and gender. This communication gives a brief account of gustatory system, the receptor and transduction mechanism of bitter taste and various techniques used in taste masking of the bitters. The review also reveals the in-vitro and in-vivo methods for evaluating taste masked efficiency of developed product. Finally, the review concludes that proper choice of method for taste masking method is essential and it might depend on the properties of the herbs.

Full Text Available Masked mycotoxins are plant metabolites of mycotoxins which co-contaminate common cereal crops. Since their discovery, the question has arisen if they contribute to toxicity either directly or indirectly through the release of the parent mycotoxins. Research in this field is rapidly emerging and the aim of this review is to summarize the latest knowledge on the fate of masked mycotoxins upon ingestion. Fusarium mycotoxins are the most prevalent masked mycotoxins and evidence is mounting that DON3Glc and possibly other masked trichothecenes are stable in conditions prevailing in the upper gut and are not absorbed intact. DON3Glc is also not toxic per se, but is hydrolyzed by colonic microbes and further metabolized to DOM-1 in some individuals. Masked zearalenone is rather more bio-reactive with some evidence on gastric and small intestinal hydrolysis as well as hydrolysis by intestinal epithelium and components of blood. Microbial hydrolysis of ZEN14Glc is almost instantaneous and further metabolism also occurs. Identification of zearalenone metabolites and their fate in the colon are still missing as is further clarification on whether or not masked zearalenone is hydrolyzed by mammalian cells. New masked mycotoxins continuously emerge and it is crucial that we gain detailed understanding of their individual metabolic fate in the body before we can assess synergistic effects and extrapolate the additive risk of all mycotoxins present in food.

We have developed a new method of accurately profiling a mask shape by utilizing a Mask CD-SEM. The method is intended to realize high accuracy, stability and reproducibility of the Mask CD-SEM adopting an edge detection algorithm as the key technology used in CD-SEM for high accuracy CD measurement. In comparison with a conventional image processing method for contour profiling, it is possible to create the profiles with much higher accuracy which is comparable with CD-SEM for semiconductor device CD measurement. In this report, we will introduce the algorithm in general, the experimental results and the application in practice. As shrinkage of design rule for semiconductor device has further advanced, an aggressive OPC (Optical Proximity Correction) is indispensable in RET (Resolution Enhancement Technology). From the view point of DFM (Design for Manufacturability), a dramatic increase of data processing cost for advanced MDP (Mask Data Preparation) for instance and surge of mask making cost have become a big concern to the device manufacturers. In a sense, it is a trade-off between the high accuracy RET and the mask production cost, while it gives a significant impact on the semiconductor market centered around the mask business. To cope with the problem, we propose the best method for a DFM solution in which two dimensional data are extracted for an error free practical simulation by precise reproduction of a real mask shape in addition to the mask data simulation. The flow centering around the design data is fully automated and provides an environment where optimization and verification for fully automated model calibration with much less error is available. It also allows complete consolidation of input and output functions with an EDA system by constructing a design data oriented system structure. This method therefore is regarded as a strategic DFM approach in the semiconductor metrology.

Aerial image measurement system (AIMSTM) has been widely used for wafer level inspection of mask defects. Reported inspection flows include die-to-die (D2D) and die-to-database (D2DB) methods. For patterns that do not repeat in another die, only the D2DB approach is applicable. The D2DB method requires accurate simulation of AIMS measurements for a mask pattern. An optical vectorial model is needed to depict the mask diffraction effect in this simulation. To accurately simulate the imaging results, a rigorous electro-magnetic field (EMF) model is essential to correctly take account of the EMF scattering induced by the mask topography, which is usually called the mask 3D effect. In this study, the mask 3D model we use is rigorous coupled-wave analysis (RCWA), which calculates the diffraction fields from a single plane wave incidence. A hybrid Hopkins-Abbe method with RCWA is used to calculate the EMF diffraction at a desired accuracy level while keeping the computation time practical. We will compare the speed of the hybrid Hopkins-Abbe method to the rigorous Abbe method. The matching between simulation and experiment is more challenging for AIMS than CD-SEM because its measurements provide full intensity information. Parameters in the mask 3D model such as film stack thickness or film optical properties, is optimized during the fitting process. We will report the fitting results of AIMS images for twodimensional structures with various pitches. By accurately simulating the AIMS measurements, it provides a necessary tool to perform the mask inspection using the D2DB approach and to accurately predict the mask defects.

Developmental prosopagnosia (DP) is defined by severe face recognition difficulties due to the failure to develop the visual mechanisms for processing faces. The two-process theory of face recognition (Morton & Johnson, 1991) implies that DP could result from a failure of an innate face detection system; this failure could prevent an individual from then tuning higher-level processes for face recognition (Johnson, 2005). Work with adults indicates that some individuals with DP have normal face detection whereas others are impaired. However, face detection has not been addressed in children with DP, even though their results may be especially informative because they have had less opportunity to develop strategies that could mask detection deficits. We tested the face detection abilities of seven children with DP. Four were impaired at face detection to some degree (i.e. abnormally slow, or failed to find faces) while the remaining three children had normal face detection. Hence, the cases with impaired detection are consistent with the two-process account suggesting that DP could result from a failure of face detection. However, the cases with normal detection implicate a higher-level origin. The dissociation between normal face detection and impaired identity perception also indicates that these abilities depend on different neurocognitive processes.

We have developed a highly integrated method of mask and silicon metrology. The method adopts a metrology management system based on DBM (Design Based Metrology). This is the high accurate contouring created by an edge detection algorithm used in mask CD-SEM and silicon CD-SEM. We have inspected the high accuracy, stability and reproducibility in the experiments of integration. The accuracy is comparable with that of the mask and silicon CD-SEM metrology. In this report, we introduce the experimental results and the application. As shrinkage of design rule for semiconductor device advances, OPC (Optical Proximity Correction) goes aggressively dense in RET (Resolution Enhancement Technology). However, from the view point of DFM (Design for Manufacturability), the cost of data process for advanced MDP (Mask Data Preparation) and mask producing is a problem. Such trade-off between RET and mask producing is a big issue in semiconductor market especially in mask business. Seeing silicon device production process, information sharing is not completely organized between design section and production section. Design data created with OPC and MDP should be linked to process control on production. But design data and process control data are optimized independently. Thus, we provided a solution of DFM: advanced integration of mask metrology and silicon metrology. The system we propose here is composed of followings. 1) Design based recipe creation: Specify patterns on the design data for metrology. This step is fully automated since they are interfaced with hot spot coordinate information detected by various verification methods. 2) Design based image acquisition: Acquire the images of mask and silicon automatically by a recipe based on the pattern design of CD-SEM.It is a robust automated step because a wide range of design data is used for the image acquisition. 3) Contour profiling and GDS data generation: An image profiling process is applied to the acquired image based

It has been suggested that the level dependence of the upper masking slopebe utilised in perceptual models in bit-rate reduction systems. However,comodulation masking release (CMR) phenomena lead to a reduction of themasking effect when a masker and a probe signal are amplitude modulated withthe...... same frequency. In bit-rate reduction systems the masker would be theaudio signal and the probe signal would represent the quantization noise.Masking curves have been determined for sinusoids and 1-Bark-wide noisemaskers in order to investigate the risk of CMR, when quantizing depths arefixed...

Full Text Available Objective: to consider clinical practice problems in the differential diagnosis of different types of plasma cell dyscrasias (PCD. Subjects and methods. Fourteen patients (8 men and 6 women aged 52±12 years, in whom rheumatic diseases (RD were ruled out and who were diagnosed as having primary PCD: different types of myeloma in 7 patients, myeloma + AL-amyloidosis in 2, AL-amyloidosis in 3, and Waldenstrom’s macroglobulinemia in 2, were examined. Results and discussion. The most common maldiagnosed RDs in patients with PCD were seronegative rheumatoid arthritis (RA, systemic lupus erythematosus, Sjogren’s disease, and different forms of vasculitis. The most frequent masks of RD were kidney (78% and osteoarticular system (64% lesions, vascular disorders (36%, peripheral polyneuropathies (36%, and enlarged salivary glands with xerostomia (28.5%. Serum and urine immunochemical study should be performed in all patients who have clinical manifestations of seropositive RA, spondyloarthritis, intensive bone pain syndrome, ulceronecrotic vasculitis, enlarged submandibular salivary glands with macroglossia in the absence of markers of autoimmune disease for the timely diagnosis of PCD and the exclusion of RD. The paper estimates the sensitivity and specificity of main methods used to diagnose different types of PCD.

Visual estimation of numerosity involves the discrimination of magnitude between two distributions or perceptual sets that vary in number of elements. How performance on such estimation depends on peripheral sensory stimulation is unclear, even in typically developing adults. Here, we varied the central and surround contrast of stimuli that comprised a visual estimation task in order to determine whether mechanisms involved with the removal of unessential visual input functionally contributes toward number acuity. The visual estimation judgments of typically developed adults were significantly impaired for high but not low contrast surround stimulus conditions. The center and surround contrasts of the stimuli also differentially affected the accuracy of numerosity estimation depending on whether fewer or more dots were presented. Remarkably, observers demonstrated the highest mean percentage accuracy across stimulus conditions in the discrimination of more elements when the surround contrast was low and the background luminance of the central region containing the elements was dark (black center). Conversely, accuracy was severely impaired during the discrimination of fewer elements when the surround contrast was high and the background luminance of the central region was mid level (gray center). These findings suggest that estimation ability is functionally related to the quality of low-order filtration of unessential visual information. These surround masking results may help understanding of the poor visual estimation ability commonly observed in developmental dyscalculia.

Full Text Available Four-dot masking with a common onset mask was recently demonstrated in a fully attended and foveated target (Filmer, Mattingley & Dux, 2015. Here, we replicate and extend this finding by directly comparing a four-dot mask with an annulus mask while probing masking as a function of mask duration, and target-mask separation. Our results suggest that while an annulus mask operates via spatially local contour interactions, a four-dot mask operates through spatially global mechanisms. We also measure how the visual system’s representation of an oriented bar is impacted by a four-dot mask, and find that masking here does not degrade the precision of perceived targets, but instead appears to be driven exclusively by rendering the target completely invisible.

Full Text Available In the age of rising crime face recognition is enormously important in the contexts of computer vision, psychology, surveillance, fraud detection, pattern recognition, neural network, content based video processing, etc. Face is a non intrusive strong biometrics for identification and hence criminals always try to hide their facial organs by different artificial means such as plastic surgery, disguise and dummy. The availability of a comprehensive face database is crucial to test the performance of these face recognition algorithms. However, while existing publicly-available face databases contain face images with a wide variety of poses, illumination, gestures and face occlusions but there is no dummy face database is available in public domain. The contributions of this research paper are: i Preparation of dummy face database of 110 subjects ii Comparison of some texture based, feature based and holistic face recognition algorithms on that dummy face database, iii Critical analysis of these types of algorithms on dummy face database.

Full Text Available Common etymon of word “personality” in foreign languages is based on the word “persona”. Meaning of the word “persona”, in latin, is the mask the stage actors use. Jung, defining the “Persona” as a concept within the scope of analytic psychology, sees it as a functional cover, a form of spiritual behavior, which responds to daily needs of the person. When both definitions are read simultaneously the “persona” shall become the “social mask”.In brief; in order to receive acknowledgement-and not to be excluded, and to acquire some sort of things, social masks (personas suitable with communal codes that one is a part of are used. Our social masks in this sense are our face that people around us see and recognize.Maintaining the personality within “normal” borders is dependent on persona’s motion and its transmutation when needed.Play characters, too, have social masks. In this study, a review was performed out of chosen play scripts on play persons who use the social masks that undertake key roles in the stack of encoded social relationships. ÖzetKişilik kelimesinin yabancı dillerdeki ortak kökeni "persona" sözcüğüne dayanmaktadır. Persona sözcüğünün anlamı, latin dilinde, tiyatro oyuncularının kullandığı "maske" dir. “Persona”yı kavram olarak analitik psikolojinin sınırları içinde tanımlayan Jung, kişinin günlük yaşam gereksinmelerine karşılık veren işlevsel bir örtü, bir ruhsal davranış biçimi olarak görür. Her iki tanım ortak okunduğunda persona,“sosyal maske”dir.Onay görmek-dışlanmamak, bir takım şeyleri elde edebilmek için bir parçası olunan toplumun kodlarına uygun sosyal maskeler (persona kullanılır. Bu anlamda sosyal maskelerimiz, çevremizdekilerin görüp tanıdığı yanımızdır.Kişiliğin “normal” sınırlar dahilinde sürdürülmesi, personanın devinimine ve gerektiğinde değiştirilmesine bağlıdır.Oyun kişilerinin de sosyal

Two experiments were carried out to study the role of gender category in evaluations of face distinctiveness. In Experiment 1, participants had to evaluate the distinctiveness and the femininity-masculinity of real or artificial composite faces. The composite faces were created by blending either faces of the same gender (sexed composite faces,…

Corrow, Granrud, Mathison, and Yonas (2011, Perception, 40, 1376-1383) found evidence that 6-month-old infants perceive the hollow face illusion. In the present study we asked whether 6-month-old infants perceive illusory depth reversal for a nonface object and whether infants' perception of the hollow face illusion is affected by mask orientation inversion. In experiment 1 infants viewed a concave bowl, and their reaches were recorded under monocular and binocular viewing conditions. Infants reached to the bowl as if it were convex significantly more often in the monocular than in the binocular viewing condition. These results suggest that infants perceive illusory depth reversal with a nonface stimulus and that the infant visual system has a bias to perceive objects as convex. Infants in experiment 2 viewed a concave face-like mask in upright and inverted orientations. Infants reached to the display as if it were convex more in the monocular than in the binocular condition; however, mask orientation had no effect on reaching. Previous findings that adults' perception of the hollow face illusion is affected by mask orientation inversion have been interpreted as evidence of stored-knowledge influences on perception. However, we found no evidence of such influences in infants, suggesting that their perception of this illusion may not be affected by stored knowledge, and that perceived depth reversal is not face-specific in infants.

Objective: This study compared the safety and efficacy of the Supreme Laryngeal Mask Airway (S-LMA) with that of the ProSeal-LMA (P-LMA) in laparoscopic cholecystectomy. Material and Methods: Sixty adults were randomly allocated. Following anaesthesia induction, experienced LMA users inserted the airway devices. Results: Oropharyngeal leak pressure was similar in groups (S-LMA, 27.8±2.9 cmH20; P-LMA, 27.0±4.7 cmH20; p=0.42) and did not change...

Objective: This study compared the safety and efficacy of the Supreme Laryngeal Mask Airway (S-LMA) with that of the ProSeal-LMA (P-LMA) in laparoscopic cholecystectomy.Material and Methods: Sixty adults were randomly allocated. Following anaesthesia induction, experienced LMA users inserted the airway devices. Results: Oropharyngeal leak pressure was similar in groups (S-LMA, 27.8±2.9 cmH20; P-LMA, 27.0±4.7 cmH20; p=0.42) and did not change during the induction of and throughout pneumoperit...

With each new technology generation, photomask manufacturing faces increasing complexity due to shrinking designs and accelerating use of reticle enhancement techniques. Denser and more complex patterns on the mask result in lower yields and long write and turn-around times, important factors for the rapidly increasing mask related costs in IC manufacturing. Laser pattern generators operating at DUV wavelengths were recently introduced to provide cost effective alternatives to electron-beam systems for printing of high-end photomasks. DUV wavelengths provide the required resolution and pattern fidelity. Optical tools that use raster writing principles and massively parallel printing ensure short and predictable write times for photomasks almost independent of pattern complexity. One such high-volume production system, the Sigma7300, uses spatial light modulator (SLM) technology and a 248 nm excimer laser for printing. Partially coherent imaging and multi-pass printing as in a lithography scanner further increases resolution and pattern accuracy. With four-pass printing the system provides resolution and pattern accuracy meeting mask requirements for critical layers at the 90-nm node and sub-critical layers at the 65-nm node and beyond. The paper discusses how mask layout can be optimized to take full advantage of the speed potential provided by the SLM-based writer. It shows how flexible use of the writing principle can provide cost effective writing solutions for many layers in high-end mask sets. Resolution and pattern accuracy results from the Sigma7300 will be presented together with write times for different types of designs.

We present a reference-less and time-multiplexing phase retrieval method by making use of the digital micromirror device (DMD). In this method, the DMD functions not only as a flexible binary mask which modulates the optical field, but also as a sampling mask for measuring corresponding phases, which makes the whole setup simple and robust. The DMD reflection forms a sparse intensity mask in the pupil which produces speckle pattern after propagation. With the recorded intensity on the camera and the binary pattern on the DMD, the phase in all the `on' pixels can be reconstructed at once by solving inverse problems with iterative methods, for instance using Gerchberg-Saxton algorithm. Then the phase of the whole pupil can be reconstructed from a series of binary patterns and speckle patterns. Numerical experiments show the feasibility of this phase retrieval method and the importance of sparse binary masks in the improving of convergence speed.

National Aeronautics and Space Administration — This file contains the Radiometric camera-by-camera Cloud Mask dataset. It is used to determine whether a scene is classified as clear or cloudy. A new parameter has...

We present the concept of a binary shaped mask coronagraph applicable to a telescope pupil including obscuration, based on previous works on binary shaped pupil mask by \\citet{Kasdin2005} and \\citet{Vanderbei1999}. Solutions with multi-barcode masks which "skip over" the obscuration are shown for various types of pupil of telescope, such as SUBARU, JWST, SPICA, and other examples. The number of diffraction tails in the point spread function of the coronagraphic image is reduced to two, thus offering a large discovery angle. The concept of mask rotation is also presented, which allows post-processing removal of diffraction tails and provides a 360$^{\\circ}$ continuous discovery angle. It is suggested that the presented concept offers solutions which potentially allow large telescopes with segmented pupil in future to be used as platforms for an coronagraph.

Full Text Available Mask of damage region is the pretreatment step of the image inpainting, which plays a key role in the ultimate effect. However, state-of-the-art methods have attached significance to the inpainting model, and the mask of damage region is usually selected manually or by the conventional threshold-based method. Since manual method is time-consuming and the threshold-based method does not have the same precision for different images, we herein report a new method for automatically constructing the precise mask by the joint filtering of guided filtering and L0 smoothing. It can accurately locate the boundary of damaged region in order to effectively segment the damage region and then greatly improves the ultimate effect of image inpainting. The experimental results show that the proposed method is superior to state-of-the-art methods in the step of constructing inpainting mask, especially for the damaged region with inconspicuous boundary.

The reproductive biology of the masked triggerfish Sufflamen fraenatus was studied. Three distinct stages, viz. immature, maturing and mature were identified based on the external appearance of the ovary and the ova diameter studies. The fish...

In this paper, a new numerical simulation approach is proposed for the study of open-loop frequency response of a chaotic masking system. Using Chua's circuit and the Lorenz system as illustrative examples, we have shown that one can employ chaos synchronization to separate the feedback network from a chaotic masking system, and then use numerical simulation to obtain the open-loop synchronization response, the phase response, and the amplitude response of a chaotic masking system. Based on the analysis of the frequency response, we have also proved that changing the amplitude of the exciting (input) signal within normal working domain does not influence the frequency response of the chaotic masking system. The new numerical simulation method developed in this paper can be extended to consider the open-loop frequency response of other systems described by differential or difference equations.

Much work has already been done on how both the resist and line-edge roughness (LER) on the mask affect the final printed LER. What is poorly understood, however, is the extent to which system-level effects such as mask surface roughness, illumination conditions, and defocus couple to speckle at the image plane, and currently factor into LER limits. Here, we propose a 'rule-of-thumb' simplified solution that provides a fast and powerful method to obtain mask roughness induced LER. We present modeling data on an older generation mask with a roughness of 230 pm as well as the ultimate target roughness of 50 pm. Moreover, we consider feature sizes of 50 nm and 22 nm, and show that as a function of correlation length, the LER peaks at the condition that the correlation length is approximately equal to the resolution of the imaging optic.

It has been suggested that the level dependence of the upper masking slope be utilized in perceptual models in bit-rate reduction systems. However, comodulation masking release (CMR) phenomena lead to a reduction of the masking effect when a masker and a probe signal are amplitude modulated...... with the same frequency. In bit-rate reduction systems the masker would be the audio signal and the probe signal would represent the quantization noise. Masking curves have been determined for sinusoids and 1-Bark-wide noise maskers in order to investigate the risk of CMR, when quantizing depths are fixed.......75. A CMR of up to 10 dB was obtained at a distance of 6 Bark above the masker. The amount of CMR was found to depend on the presentation level of the masker; a higher masker level leads to a higher CMR effect. Hence, the risk of CMR affecting the subjective performance of bit-rate reduction systems cannot...

We have been researching new mask blank materials for the next generation lithography (NGL) and developed a new mask blank with low-k phase shifter [1] [2]. The low-k phase shifter consists of only Si and N. In our previous work, we reported the advantages of developed SiN phase shift mask (PSM) [2]. It showed high lithographic performance and high durability against ArF excimer laser as well as against cleaning. In this report, we further verified its high lithographic performance on several types of device pattern. The SiN PSM had high lithographic performance compared with conventional 6% MoSi PSM. Exposure latitude (EL) and mask enhancement factor (MEEF) were especially improved on originally designed Gate, Metal and Via patterns.

Stellar coronagraph performance is highly sensitive to optical aberrations. In order to effectively suppress starlight for exoplanet imaging applications, low-order wavefront aberrations entering a coronagraph such as tip-tilt, defocus and coma must be determined and compensated. Previous authors have established the utility of pupil-plane masks (both non-redundant/sparse-aperture and generally asymmetric aperture masks) for wavefront sensing. Here we show how a sparse aperture mask (SAM) can be integrated with a coronagraph to measure low-order, differential phase aberrations. Starlight rejected by the coronagraph's focal plane stop is collimated to a relay pupil, where the mask forms an interference fringe pattern on a subsequent detector. Our numerical Fourier propagation models show that the information encoded in the fringe intensity distortions is sufficient to accurately discriminate and estimate Zernike phase modes extending from tip-tilt up to radial degree $n=5$, with amplitude up to $\\lambda/20$ RM...

A temporary functional blindness to the second of two spatially separated targets has been identified in numerous studies of temporal visual attention. This effect is known as attentional dwell time and is maximal 200 to 500 ms after presentation of the first target (e.g. Duncan, Ward, Shapiro......, 1994). In most studies of attentional dwell time, two masked targets have been used. Moore et al. (1996) have criticised the masking of the first target when measuring the attentional dwell time, finding a shorter attentional dwell time when the first mask was omitted. In the presented work, the effect...... an impairment of the second target. Hence, the attentional dwell time may be a combined effect arising from attending to both the first target and its mask....

As optical lithography continues to extend into low-k1 regime, resolution of mask patterns continues to diminish. The adoption of RET techniques like aggressive OPC, sub-resolution assist features combined with the requirements to detect even smaller defects on masks due to increasing MEEF, poses considerable challenges for mask inspection operators and engineers. Therefore a comprehensive approach is required in handling defects post-inspections by correctly identifying and classifying the real killer defects impacting the printability on wafer, and ignoring nuisance defect and false defects caused by inspection systems. This paper focuses on the results from the evaluation of Automatic Defect Classification (ADC) product at the SMIC mask shop for the 40nm technology node. Traditionally, each defect is manually examined and classified by the inspection operator based on a set of predefined rules and human judgment. At SMIC mask shop due to the significant total number of detected defects, manual classification is not cost-effective due to increased inspection cycle time, resulting in constrained mask inspection capacity, since the review has to be performed while the mask stays on the inspection system. Luminescent Technologies Automated Defect Classification (ADC) product offers a complete and systematic approach for defect disposition and classification offline, resulting in improved utilization of the current mask inspection capability. Based on results from implementation of ADC in SMIC mask production flow, there was around 20% improvement in the inspection capacity compared to the traditional flow. This approach of computationally reviewing defects post mask-inspection ensures no yield loss by qualifying reticles without the errors associated with operator mis-classification or human error. The ADC engine retrieves the high resolution inspection images and uses a decision-tree flow to classify a given defect. Some identification mechanisms adopted by ADC to

Time-encoded imaging is an approach to directional radiation detection that is being developed at SNL with a focus on fast neutron directional detection. In this technique, a time modulation of a detected neutron signal is inducedtypically, a moving mask that attenuates neutrons with a time structure that depends on the source position. An important challenge in time-encoded imaging is to develop high-resolution two-dimensional imaging capabilities; building a mechanically moving high-resolution mask presents challenges both theoretical and technical. We have investigated an alternative to mechanical masks that replaces the solid mask with a liquid such as mineral oil. Instead of fixed blocks of solid material that move in pre-defined patterns, the oil is contained in tubing structures, and carefully introduced air gapsbubblespropagate through the tubing, generating moving patterns of oil mask elements and air apertures. Compared to current moving-mask techniques, the bubble mask is simple, since mechanical motion is replaced by gravity-driven bubble propagation; it is flexible, since arbitrary bubble patterns can be generated by a software-controlled valve actuator; and it is potentially high performance, since the tubing and bubble size can be tuned for high-resolution imaging requirements. We have built and tested various single-tube mask elements, and will present results on bubble introduction and propagation as a function of tubing size and cross-sectional shape; real-time bubble position tracking; neutron source imaging tests; and reconstruction techniques demonstrated on simple test data as well as a simulated full detector system.

We report the results of a therapeutic trial of patients with tinnitus of different characteristics that was unresponsive to other medical or surgical treatments. Treatment was based on a combination of biofeedback training designed to reduce stress and either pure masking therapy or masking therapy consisting of a hearing aid and masker. The results showed an improvement in subjective perceptions and in the audiometric parameter of pitch in a significant percentage of patients.

A one-step graphene patterning method is developed in this paper. A phase shifting mask is used to modulate incident laser beam spatially and generate graphene patterns by laser heating. Periodic graphene nanoribbon and nanomesh structures are fabricated by employing 1D and 2D phase shifting masks, respectively. The noncontact, simple procedure, easy handling and economic properties of this method make it promising towards graphene-based device fabrication.

While most single-channel noise reduction algorithms fail to improve speech intelligibility, the ideal binary mask (IBM) has demonstrated substantial intelligibility improvements for both normal- and impaired-hearing listeners. However, this approach exploits oracle knowledge of the target and in...... algorithm from the signal processing literature. However, the algorithm employs a non-causal estimator. The present work introduces an improved de-noising algorithm that uses more realistic frame-based (causal) computations to estimate a binary mask....

The most exciting recent development in nonlinear dynamics is realization that chaos can be useful. One application involves "Secure Communication". Two piecewise linear systems with switching nonlinearities have been taken as chaos generators. In the present work the phenomenon of secure communication with chaos masking has been investigated experimentally. In this investigation chaos which is generated from two chaos generators is masked with the massage signal to be transmitted, thus makes communication is more secure.

A new algorithm has been developed to compress oncologic images using both wavelet transform and field masking methods. A compactly supported wavelet transform is used to decompose the original image into high- and low-frequency subband images. The region-of-interest (ROI) inside an image, such as an irradiated field in an electronic portal image, is identified using an image segmentation technique and is then used to generate a mask. The wavelet transform coefficients outside the mask region are then ignored so that these coefficients can be efficiently coded to minimize the image redundancy. In this study, an adaptive uniform scalar quantization method and Huffman coding with a fixed code book are employed in subsequent compression procedures. Three types of typical oncologic images are tested for compression using this new algorithm: CT, MRI, and electronic portal images with 256 x 256 matrix size and 8-bit gray levels. Peak signal-to-noise ratio (PSNR) is used to evaluate the quality of reconstructed image. Effects of masking and image quality on compression ratio are illustrated. Compression ratios obtained using wavelet transform with and without masking for the same PSNR are compared for all types of images. The addition of masking shows an increase of compression ratio by a factor of greater than 1.5. The effect of masking on the compression ratio depends on image type and anatomical site. A compression ratio of greater than 5 can be achieved for a lossless compression of various oncologic images with respect to the region inside the mask. Examples of reconstructed images with compression ratio greater than 50 are shown.

Five simulations of quantitative models of visual backward masking are available on the Internet at http://www.psych.purdue.edu/-gfrancis/Publications/BackwardMasking/. The simulations can be run in a Web browser that supports the Java programming language. This article describes the motivation for making the simulations available and gives a brief introduction as to how the simulations are used. The source code is available on the Web page, and this article describes how the code is organized.

We present the fabrication of a wafer-scale shadow mask with arrays of circular holes with diameters of 150–400 μm. Standard UV photolithography is used to define 700 μm thick SU-8 structures followed by electroplating of nickel and etching of the template. The ferromagnetic properties of the sha...... of the shadow mask allow magnetic clamping to the substrate and spray coating of well defined polymer patterns....

A cloud masking approach based on multi-temporal satellite images is proposed. The basic idea of this approach is to detect cloud and cloud shadow by using the difference reflectance values between clear pixels and cloud and cloud shadow contaminated pixels. Several bands of satellite image which have big difference values are selected for developing Multi-temporal Cloud Masking (MCM) algorithm. Some experimental analyses are conducted by using Landsat-8 images. Band 3 and band 4 are selected because they can distinguish between cloud and non cloud. Afterwards, band 5 and band 6 are used to distinguish between cloud shadow and clear. The results show that the MCM algorithm can detect cloud and cloud shadow appropriately. Moreover, qualitative and quantitative assessments are conducted using visual inspections and confusion matrix, respectively, to evaluate the reliability of this algorithm. Comparison between this algorithm and QA band are conducted to prove the reliability of the approach. The results show that MCM better than QA band and the accuracy of the results are very high.

To evaluate laryngeal mask airway (LMA) and intubating laryngeal mask airway (ILMA) placement by helicopter emergency medical services (HEMS) personnel after a comprehensive training program. HEMS flight staff attended a didactic and manikin-based training session for both devices. After this training, they attempted LMA and ILMA placement in live, anesthetized patients in an operating room (OR). Outcome measures included placement success rates with the LMA, ILMA, and endotracheal intubation through the ILMA, time to ventilation, and time to intubation. Success rates and time to ventilation were compared using chi-squared and analysis of variance (ANOVA), respectively. Mean time to ventilation for the first and second placements of both devices was examined with repeated measures ANOVA. There was no difference in successful placement of the LMA compared with the ILMA (100% vs. 91%, P = .15). Ninety-five percent (19/20) of patients were successfully intubated through the ILMA. Time to intubation was 57.1 +/- 55 seconds (range, 20-240). Mean time to ventilation with either device did not differ significantly (36.8 +/- 17 vs. 38.05 +/- 20 seconds; P = .29). Mean time to ventilation for the first and second placement of either the LMA (P = .45) or the ILMA (P = .47) was not statistically different. Trained HEMS flight staff are capable of effectively placing the LMA and ILMA in the operating room after a comprehensive training protocol.

Full Text Available In this paper we present an insight into the use of spectral masking techniques in time-frequency domain, as a preprocessing step for the speech signal recognition. Speech recognition systems have their performance negatively affected in noisy environments or in the presence of other speech signals. The limits of these masking techniques for different levels of the signal-to-noise ratio are discussed. We show the robustness of the spectral masking techniques against four types of noise: white, pink, brown and human speech noise (bubble noise. The main contribution of this work is to analyze the performance limits of recognition systems using spectral masking. We obtain an increase of 18% on the speech hit rate, when the speech signals were corrupted by other speech signals or bubble noise, with different signal-to-noise ratio of approximately 1, 10 and 20 dB. On the other hand, applying the ideal binary masks to mixtures corrupted by white, pink and brown noise, results an average growth of 9% on the speech hit rate, with the same different signal-to-noise ratio. The experimental results suggest that the masking spectral techniques are more suitable for the case when it is applied a bubble noise, which is produced by human speech, than for the case of applying white, pink and brown noise.

Full Text Available As feature size is much smaller than the wavelength of illumination source of lithography equipments, resolution enhancement technology (RET has been increasingly relied upon to minimize image distortions. In advanced process nodes, pixelated mask becomes essential for RET to achieve an acceptable resolution. In this paper, we investigate the problem of pixelated binary mask design in a partially coherent imaging system. Similar to previous approaches, the mask design problem is formulated as a nonlinear program and is solved by gradient-based search. Our contributions are four novel techniques to achieve significantly better image quality. First, to transform the original bound-constrained formulation to an unconstrained optimization problem, we propose a new noncyclic transformation of mask variables to replace the wellknown cyclic one. As our transformation is monotonic, it enables a better control in flipping pixels. Second, based on this new transformation, we propose a highly efficient line search-based heuristic technique to solve the resulting unconstrained optimization. Third, to simplify the optimization, instead of using discretization regularization penalty technique, we directly round the optimized gray mask into binary mask for pattern error evaluation. Forth, we introduce a jump technique in order to jump out of local minimum and continue the search.

Full Text Available The Yoruba mask is a piece of sculpture that is both artistic and functional. The carved work fulfils one or more of several functions—sacred or profane, personal or communal, serious or satirical. As an object it has only its relatively insignificant quota of vital energy that is found, according to African ontology, in all matter and substance of the visible world- animal, vegetable and mineral. But the Yoruba mask also has a force that extends to the world of spirits and gods. These masks also have the dual effect of transforming the wearer and the ambivalence of serving good and evil ends. This indicates that the Yoruba mask apart from its spiritual essence is a symbol of great complexity and ambiguity. It is from this great community of sculptors and from the ambivalent quality of the mask as image and symbol that some of Wole Soyinka’s creative writings emerge. This paper argues that Wole Soyinka uses his native Yoruba sculpture, and the mask in particular, to dramatise the essential spiritual continuity of human nature through the dramatic appearance of gods and the spirits of the ancestors in the world of the living during the dance of possession.

Mask inspection is a critical step in the mask manufacturing process in order to ensure all dimensions printed are within the needed tolerances. This becomes even more challenging as the device nodes shrink and the complexity of the tapeout increases. Thus, the amount of measurement points and their critical dimension (CD) types are increasing to ensure the quality of the mask. In addition to the mask quality, there is a significant amount of manpower needed when the preparation and debugging of this process are not automated. By utilizing a novel pattern search technology with the ability to measure and report match region scan-line (edge) measurements, we can create a flow to find, measure and mark all metrology locations of interest and provide this automated report to the mask shop for inspection. A digital library is created based on the technology product and node which contains the test patterns to be measured. This paper will discuss how these digital libraries will be generated and then utilized. As a time-critical part of the manufacturing process, this can also reduce the data preparation cycle time, minimize the amount of manual/human error in naming and measuring the various locations, reduce the risk of wrong/missing CD locations, and reduce the amount of manpower needed overall. We will also review an example pattern and how the reporting structure to the mask shop can be processed. This entire process can now be fully automated.

Conventional adult dosage forms are often not suitable for the paediatric and geriatric populations due to either swallowing difficulties or patient repulsion and a requirement for tailored dosing to individual compliance or physiological needs. Alternative formulations are available; however these often require the incorporation of more complex taste masking techniques. One approach to taste masking is to reduce contact between the bitter Active Pharmaceutical Ingredient (API) and oral cavity taste bud regions. This is achieved by hindering release in the oral cavity, or including competitive inhibition of bitter sensation for example by using flavours or sweeteners. There may also be other sensational complications from the API such as residual burning, reflux or metallic taste sensations to deal with. In vitro dissolution testing is employed to elucidate taste masking capability by quantifying release of the drug in simulated oral cavity conditions. Dissolution testing approaches may also be used to potentially predict or quantify the effect of the taste masking technique on the resultant pharmacokinetic profile. The present review investigates the anatomy and physiology of the oral cavity and current approaches to taste masking. In vitro dissolution methodologies adopted in the evaluation of taste masked formulations are discussed for their relative merits and drawbacks. A vast array of methodologies has been employed, with little agreement between approaches, and a lack of biorelevance. Future directions in dissolution methodology such as TNO Intestinal Model (TIM) and the Artificial Stomach and Duodenum model (ASD) are also discussed.

The facial width-to-height ratio (face ratio), is a sexually dimorphic metric associated with actual aggression in men and with observers' judgements of aggression in male faces. Here, we sought to determine if observers' judgements of aggression were associated with the face ratio in female faces. In three studies, participants rated photographs of female and male faces on aggression, femininity, masculinity, attractiveness, and nurturing. In Studies 1 and 2, for female and male faces, judgements of aggression were associated with the face ratio even when other cues in the face related to masculinity were controlled statistically. Nevertheless, correlations between the face ratio and judgements of aggression were smaller for female than for male faces (F1,36 = 7.43, p = 0.01). In Study 1, there was no significant relationship between judgements of femininity and of aggression in female faces. In Study 2, the association between judgements of masculinity and aggression was weaker in female faces than for male faces in Study 1. The weaker association in female faces may be because aggression and masculinity are stereotypically male traits. Thus, in Study 3, observers rated faces on nurturing (a stereotypically female trait) and on femininity. Judgements of nurturing were associated with femininity (positively) and masculinity (negatively) ratings in both female and male faces. In summary, the perception of aggression differs in female versus male faces. The sex difference was not simply because aggression is a gendered construct; the relationships between masculinity/femininity and nurturing were similar for male and female faces even though nurturing is also a gendered construct. Masculinity and femininity ratings are not associated with aggression ratings nor with the face ratio for female faces. In contrast, all four variables are highly inter-correlated in male faces, likely because these cues in male faces serve as “honest signals”. PMID:22276184

with reentrant processing, then the first feedforward sweep should be left relatively intact. Using a standard OSM paradigm in combination with a saccadic choice task, giving access to an early phase of visual processing (the fastest saccades occurring only 100 ms after target onset), we compared the masking...... time-course of OSM, noise backward masking, as well as a simple target contrast decrease. Consistently with a reentrant account, a significantly stronger masking effect was observed for slow (larger than median RT; average median RT = 177 ms) relatively to fast saccades in the OSM condition......Object substitution masking (OSM) occurs when a briefly presented target in a search array is surrounded by small dots that remain visible after the target disappears. Here, we tested the widespread assumption that OSM selectively impairs reentrant processing. If OSM interferes selectively...

Purpose: To improve the setup accuracy of thermoplastic mask, we developed a new monitoring method based on force sensing technology and evaluated its feasibility. Methods: The thermoplastic mask setup monitoring system consists of a force sensing resistor sensor unit, a signal transport device, a control PC and an in-house software. The system is designed to monitor pressure variation between the mask and patient in real time. It also provides a warning to the user when there is a possibility of movement. A preliminary study was performed to evaluate the reliability of the sensor unit and developed monitoring system with a head phantom. Then, a simulation study with volunteers was conducted to evaluate the feasibility of the monitoring system. Note that the sensor unit can have multiple end-sensors and every end-sensor was confirmed to be within 2% reliability in pressure reading through a screening test. Results: To evaluate the reproducibility of the proposed monitoring system in practice, we simulated a mask setup with the head phantom. FRS sensors were attached on the face of the head phantom and pressure was monitored. For 3 repeated mask setups on the phantom, the variation of the pressure was less than 3% (only 1% larger than 2% potential uncertainty confirmed in the screening test). In the volunteer study, we intended to verify that the system could detect patient movements within the mask. Thus, volunteers were asked to turn their head or lift their chin. The system was able to detect movements effectively, confirming the clinical feasibility of the monitoring system developed. Conclusion: Through the proposed setup monitoring method, it is possible to monitor patient motion inside a mask in real time, which has never been possible with most commonly used systems using non-radiographic technology such as infrared camera system and surface imaging system. This work was supported by the Radiation Technology R&D program (No. 2013M2A2A7043498) and the Mid

This article is based on examples of contemporary audiovisual art, with a special focus on the Tony Oursler exhibition Face to Face at Aarhus Art Museum ARoS in Denmark in March-July 2012. My investigation involves a combination of qualitative interviews with visitors, observations of the audienc......´s interactions with the exhibition and the artwork in the museum space and short analyses of individual works of art based on reception aesthetics and phenomenology and inspired by newer writings on sound, voice and listening....

Full Text Available A hollow (concave mask appears convex when viewed from beyond a certain distance even when viewed stereoscopically—this is the hollow-face illusion. At close viewing distances, the same mask is seen as hollow even when disparity information is eliminated by monocular viewing. A potential source of nonpictorial, monocular information that favors a veridical percept at close distances is accommodation in conjunction with focus blur. In this article, we used pinhole viewing to minimize this potential source of information and test whether it affects whether a hollow mask is seen as veridical (concave or illusory (convex. Since monocular viewing also facilitates the illusory (convex percept, it was included in the design both as a comparison and to test whether any effect of accommodation depends on vergence. Pinhole viewing was found favor the illusory percept, and its effect was at least as large as, and added to, that of monocular viewing. A control experiment using tinted glasses that attenuate illumination at least as much as the pinholes did not strengthen the illusion ruling out explanations in terms of reduced luminance. For pinhole viewing, there was no difference between monocular and binocular conditions. The results are interpreted as evidence that focus driven depth information affects perceived three-dimensional shape at close distances even when other sources of depth information are available. The lack of a difference between monocular and binocular pinhole viewing suggests that, by disrupting accommodation, pinholes may also interfere with linked vergence cues to depth.

The authors used a state-trace methodology to investigate the informational dimensions used to recognize old and conjunction faces (made by combining parts of separately studied faces). Participants in 3 experiments saw faces presented for 1 s each. They then received a recognition test; faces were presented for varying brief durations and…

Currently, many students have had experience with both face-to-face and online classes. We asked such students at 46 different universities in the United States to evaluate the pedagogical characteristics of their most recently completed face-to-face class and their most recently completed online class. The results show that students rate online…

During the first year of life, infants' face recognition abilities are subject to "perceptual narrowing", the end result of which is that observers lose the ability to distinguish previously discriminable faces (e.g. other-race faces) from one another. Perceptual narrowing has been reported for faces of different species and different races, in…

A well-known recipe for reducing mask cost component in product development is to place non-redundant elements of layout databases related to multiple products on one reticle plate [1,2]. Such reticles are known as multi-product, multi-layer, or, in general, multi-IP masks. The composition of the mask set should minimize not only the layout placement cost, but also the cost of the manufacturing process, design flow setup, and product design and introduction to market. An important factor is the quality check which should be expeditious and enable thorough visual verification to avoid costly modifications once the data is transferred to the mask shop. In this work, in order to enable the layer placement and quality check procedure, we proposed an algorithm where mask layers are first lined up according to the price and field tone [3]. Then, depending on the product die size, expected fab throughput, and scribeline requirements, the subsequent product layers are placed on the masks with different grades. The actual reduction of this concept to practice allowed us to understand the tradeoffs between the automation of layer placement and setup related constraints. For example, the limited options of the numbers of layer per plate dictated by the die size and other design feedback, made us consider layer pairing based not only on the final price of the mask set, but also on the cost of mask design and fab-friendliness. We showed that it may be advantageous to introduce manual layer pairing to ensure that, e.g., all interconnect layers would be placed on the same plate, allowing for easy and simultaneous design fixes. Another enhancement was to allow some flexibility in mixing and matching of the layers such that non-critical ones requiring low mask grade would be placed in a less restrictive way, to reduce the count of orphan layers. In summary, we created a program to automatically propose and visualize shuttle mask architecture for design verification, with

Summarizing a long surveillance video to just a few best quality face images of each subject, a face-log, is of great importance in surveillance systems. Face quality assessment is the back-bone for face log generation and improving the quality assessment makes the face logs more reliable....... Developing a real time face quality assessment system using the most important facial features and employing it for face logs generation are the concerns of this paper. Extensive tests using four databases are carried out to validate the usability of the system....

Full Text Available Objective: A temperature-sensitive state-changing hydrogel mask was used in this study. Once it comes into contact with the skin and reaches the body temperature, it uniformly and quickly releases the active compounds, which possess moisturizing, anti-oxidant, anti-inflammatory and regenerative properties. Methods: An open label clinical trial was conducted to evaluate the effects of the test product on skin hydration, skin tone and skin ageing. Subjects applied the product to one side of their face and underwent Corneometer® and Chromameter measurements, Visual assessment of facial skin ageing and facial photography. All assessments and Self-Perception Questionnaires (SPQ were performed at baseline, after the first application of the test product and after four applications. Results: After a single treatment we observed an increase in skin moisturisation, an improvement of skin tone/luminosity and a reduction in signs of ageing, all statistically significant. After four applications a further improvement in all measured parameters was recorded. These results were confirmed by the subjects’ own perceptions, as reported in the SPQ both after one and four applications. Conclusion: The hydrogel mask tested in this study is very effective in improving skin hydration, skin radiance and luminosity, in encouraging an even skin tone and in reducing skin pigmentation.

The present invention provides a novel system and method for identifying individuals and for face recognition utilizing facial features for face identification. The system and method of the invention comprise creating facial features or face patterns called face pattern words and face pattern bytes for face identification. The invention also provides for pattern recognitions for identification other than face recognition. The invention further provides a means for identifying individuals based on visible and/or thermal images of those individuals by utilizing computer software implemented by instructions on a computer or computer system and a computer readable medium containing instructions on a computer system for face recognition and identification.

Fusion is a popular practice to combine multiple sources of biometric information to achieve systems with greater performance and flexibility. In this paper various approaches to fusion within a multibiometrics context are considered and an application to the fusion of 2D and 3D face information is

Fusion is a popular practice to combine multiple sources of biometric information to achieve systems with greater performance and flexibility. In this paper various approaches to fusion within a multibiometrics context are considered and an application to the fusion of 2D and 3D face information is

Discusses the inconsistency between Japanese exploitation of world natural resources and gestures to provide leadership in ecologically innovative technology. Explores Japanese culture, power structure, population trends, environmental ethics, industrialism, and international business practices as they relate to the philosophical face of…

Exemplar-based face sketch synthesis has been widely applied to both digital entertainment and law enforcement. In this paper, we propose a Bayesian framework for face sketch synthesis, which provides a systematic interpretation for understanding the common properties and intrinsic difference in different methods from the perspective of probabilistic graphical models. The proposed Bayesian framework consists of two parts: the neighbor selection model and the weight computation model. Within the proposed framework, we further propose a Bayesian face sketch synthesis method. The essential rationale behind the proposed Bayesian method is that we take the spatial neighboring constraint between adjacent image patches into consideration for both aforementioned models, while the state-of-the-art methods neglect the constraint either in the neighbor selection model or in the weight computation model. Extensive experiments on the Chinese University of Hong Kong face sketch database demonstrate that the proposed Bayesian method could achieve superior performance compared with the state-of-the-art methods in terms of both subjective perceptions and objective evaluations.

Doctor urges that Americans accept death as a part of life and suggests ways of helping dying patients and their families face reality calmly, with peace. Dying children and their siblings, as well as children's feelings about relatives' deaths, are also discussed. (PD)

If you are a Java developer with experience of frontend UI development, and want to take the plunge to develop stunning UI applications with the most popular JSF framework, PrimeFaces, then this book is for you. For those with entrepreneurial aspirations, this book will provide valuable insights into how to utilize successful business models.

Doctor urges that Americans accept death as a part of life and suggests ways of helping dying patients and their families face reality calmly, with peace. Dying children and their siblings, as well as children's feelings about relatives' deaths, are also discussed. (PD)

ABSTRACT: Following the publication of our article [Inferior alveolar nerve injury with laryngeal mask airway: a case report. Journal of Medical Case Reports 2011, 5:122] it was brought to our attention that we inadvertently used the registered trademark of the Laryngeal Mask Company Limited (LMA) as the abbreviation for laryngeal mask airway. A Portex(R) Soft Seal(R) Laryngeal Mask was used and not a device manufactured by the Laryngeal Mask Company.

Women tend to respond to emotional stimuli differently from men. This study aimed at investigating whether neural responses to perceptually "invisible" emotional stimuli differ between men and women by exploiting event-related potential (ERP). Forty healthy participants (21 women) were recruited for the main experiment. A control experiment was conducted by excluding nine (7 women) participants from the main experiment and replacing them with additional ten (6 women) participants (total 41 participants) where Beck's Anxiety Inventory (BAI) and Beck's Depression Inventory (BDI) scores were controlled. Using the visual backward masking paradigm, either a fearful or a neutral face stimulus was presented in varied durations (subthreshold, near-threshold, or suprathreshold) followed by a mask. Participants performed a two-alternative forced choice (2-AFC) emotion discrimination task on each face. Behavioral analysis showed that participants were unaware of masked stimuli of which duration was the shortest and, therefore, processed at subthreshold. Nevertheless, women showed significantly larger response in P100 amplitude to subthreshold fearful faces than men. This result remained consistent in the control experiment. Our findings indicate gender-differences in neural response to subthreshold emotional face, which is reflected in the early processing stage.

Empirical studies on the development of face processing skills with age show inconsistent patterns concerning qualitative vs. quantitative changes over time or the age range for peak cognitive performance. In the present study, we tested the proficiency in face detection and face categorization with a large sample of participants (N = 312; age range: 2-88 yrs). As test objects, we used so-called Mooney faces, two-tone (black and white) images of faces lacking critical information of a local, ...

Actinic mask inspection for EUV lithography with targeted specifications of resolution, sensitivity, and throughput remains a big hurdle for the successful insertion of EUVL into high volume manufacturing and effective solutions are needed to address this. We present a method for actinic mask inspection based on scanning coherent scattering microscopy. In this method, the mask is scanned with an EUV beam of relatively small spot size and the scattered light is recorded with a pixel detector. Customized algorithms reconstruct the aerial image by iteratively solving the phaseproblem using over-determined diffraction data gathered by scanning across the specimen with a finite illumination. This approach provides both phase and amplitude of actinic aerial images of the mask with high resolution without the need to use high NA (numerical aperture) lenses. Futher, we describe a reflective mode EUV mask scanning lensless imaging tool (RESCAN), which was installed at the XIL-II beamline and later at the SIM beamline of the Swiss Light Source and show reconstructed aerial images down to 10 nm (on-wafer) resolution. As a complementary method, the a-priori knowledge of the sample is employed to identify potential defect sites by analyzing the diffraction patterns. In this method, the recorded diffraction patterns are compared with the die or database data (i.e. previously measured or calculated diffraction data from the defect-free mask layout respectively) and their difference is interpreted as the defect signal. Dynamic software filtering helps to suppress the strong diffraction from defect-free structures and allows registration of faint defects with high sensitivity. Here, we discuss the basic principles of these Fourier domain techniques and its potential for actinic mask inspection with high signal-to-noise ratio and high throughput.

Face aftereffects are widely studied on the assumption that they provide a useful tool for investigating face-space coding of identity. However, a long-standing issue concerns the extent to which face aftereffects originate in face-level processes as opposed to earlier stages of visual processing. For example, some recent studies failed to find atypical face aftereffects in individuals with clinically poor face recognition. We show that in individuals within the normal range of face recognition abilities, there is an association between face memory ability and a figural face aftereffect that is argued to reflect the steepness of broadband-opponent neural response functions in underlying face-space. We further show that this correlation arises from face-level processing, by reporting results of tests of nonface memory and nonface aftereffects. We conclude that face aftereffects can tap high-level face-space, and that face-space coding differs in quality between individuals and contributes to face recognition ability.

As the number of masks per wafer product set is increasing and low k1 lithography requires tight mask specifications, the patterning process below sub 20nm tech. node for critical layers will be much more expensive compared with previous tech. generations. Besides, the improved resolution and the zero defect level are necessary to meet tighter specifications on a mask and these resulted in the increased the blank mask price as well as the mask fabrication cost. Unfortunately, in spite of expensive price of blank masks, the certain number of defects on the blank mask is transformed into the mask defects and its ratio is increased. But using high quality blank mask is not a good idea to avoid defects on the blank mask because the price of a blank mask is proportional to specifications related to defect level. Furthermore, particular defects generated from the specific process during manufacturing a blank mask are detected as a smaller defect than real size by blank inspection tools because of its physical properties. As a result, it is almost impossible to prevent defects caused by blank masks during the mask manufacturing. In this paper, blank defect types which is evolved into mask defects and its unique characteristics are observed. Also, the repair issues are reviewed such as the pattern damage according to the defect types and the repair solution is suggested to satisfy the AIMS (Arial Image Measurement System) specification using a nanomachining tool.

Full Text Available BACKGROUND: While humans (like other primates communicate with facial expressions, the evolution of speech added a new function to the facial muscles (facial expression muscles. The evolution of speech required the development of a coordinated action between visual (movement of the lips and auditory signals in a rhythmic fashion to produce "visemes" (visual movements of the lips that correspond to specific sounds. Visemes depend upon facial muscles to regulate shape of the lips, which themselves act as speech articulators. This movement necessitates a more controlled, sustained muscle contraction than that produced during spontaneous facial expressions which occur rapidly and last only a short period of time. Recently, it was found that human tongue musculature contains a higher proportion of slow-twitch myosin fibers than in rhesus macaques, which is related to the slower, more controlled movements of the human tongue in the production of speech. Are there similar unique, evolutionary physiologic biases found in human facial musculature related to the evolution of speech? METHODOLOGY/PRINICIPAL FINDINGS: Using myosin immunohistochemistry, we tested the hypothesis that human facial musculature has a higher percentage of slow-twitch myosin fibers relative to chimpanzees (Pan troglodytes and rhesus macaques (Macaca mulatta. We sampled the orbicularis oris and zygomaticus major muscles from three cadavers of each species and compared proportions of fiber-types. Results confirmed our hypothesis: humans had the highest proportion of slow-twitch myosin fibers while chimpanzees had the highest proportion of fast-twitch fibers. CONCLUSIONS/SIGNIFICANCE: These findings demonstrate that the human face is slower than that of rhesus macaques and our closest living relative, the chimpanzee. They also support the assertion that human facial musculature and speech co-evolved. Further, these results suggest a unique set of evolutionary selective pressures on

Face recognition is a challenging research topic, especially when the training (gallery) and recognition (probe) images are acquired using different cameras under varying conditions. Even a small noise or occlusion in the images can compromise the accuracy of recognition. Lately, sparse encoding based classification algorithms gave promising results for such uncontrollable scenarios. In this paper, we introduce a novel methodology by modeling the sparse encoding with weighted patches to increase the robustness of face recognition even further. In the training phase, we define a mask (i.e., weight matrix) using a sparse representation selecting the facial regions, and in the recognition phase, we perform comparison on selected facial regions. The algorithm was evaluated both quantitatively and qualitatively using two comprehensive surveillance facial image databases, i.e., SCfaceandMFPV, with the results clearly superior to common state-of-the-art methodologies in different scenarios.

An overview of extreme ultraviolet lithography (EUVL) mask etch is presented and a EUVL mask etch study was carried out. Today, EUVL implementation has three critical challenges that hinder its adoption: extreme ultraviolet (EUV) source power, resist resolution-line width roughness-sensitivity, and a qualified EUVL mask. The EUVL mask defect challenges result from defects generated during blank preparation, absorber and multilayer deposition processes, as well as patterning, etching and wet clean processes. Stringent control on several performance criteria including critical dimension (CD) uniformity, etch bias, micro-loading, profile control, defect control, and high etch selectivity requirement to capping layer is required during the resist pattern duplication on the underlying absorber layer. EUVL mask absorbers comprise of mainly tantalum-based materials rather than chrome- or MoSi-based materials used in standard optical masks. Compared to the conventional chrome-based absorbers and phase shift materials, tantalum-based absorbers need high ion energy to obtain moderate etch rates. However, high ion energy may lower resist selectivity, and could introduce defects. Current EUVL mask consists of an anti-reflective layer on top of the bulk absorber. Recent studies indicate that a native oxide layer would suffice as an anti-reflective coating layer during the electron beam inspection. The absorber thickness and the material properties are optimized based on optical density targets for the mask as well as electromagnetic field effects and optics requirements of the patterning tools. EUVL mask etch processes are modified according to the structure of the absorber, its material, and thickness. However, etch product volatility is the fundamental requirement. Overlapping lithographic exposure near chip border may require etching through the multilayer, resulting in challenges in profile control and etch selectivity. Optical proximity correction is applied to further

To qualify the performance of non-actinic inspection tools, a novel EUV mask inspection system has been installed at the Advanced Light Source (ALS) synchrotron facility at Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory. Similar to the older generation actinic mask inspection tool, the new system can operate in scanning mode, when mask blanks are scanned for defects using 13.5-nm in-band radiation to identify and map all locations on the mask that scatter a significant amount of EUV light. By modifying and optimizing beamline optics (11.3.2 at ALS) and replacing K-B focusing mirrors with a high quality Schwarzschild illuminator, the new system achieves an order of magnitude improvement on in-band EUV flux density at the mask, enabling faster scanning speed and higher sensitivity to smaller defects. Moreover, the system can also operate in imaging mode, when it becomes a zone-plate-based full-field EUV microscope with spatial resolution better than 100 nm. The microscope utilizes an off-axis setup, making it possible to obtain bright field images over a field-of-view of 5 x 5 {micro}m.

Mask order automation has increased steadily over the years through a variety of individual mask customer implementations. These have been supported by customer-specific software at the mask suppliers to support the variety of customer output formats. Some customers use the SEMI P10 1 standard, some use supplier-specific formats, and some use customer-specific formats. Some customers use little automation and depend instead on close customer-supplier relationships. Implementations are varied in quality and effectiveness. A major factor which has prolonged the adoption of more advanced and effective solutions has been a lack of understanding of the economic benefits. Some customers think standardized automation mainly benefits the mask supplier in order entry automation, but this ignores a number of other significant benefits which differ dramatically for each party in the supply chain. This paper discusses the nature of those differing advantages and presents simple models suited to four business cases: integrated device manufacturers (IDM), fabless companies, foundries and mask suppliers. Examples and estimates of the financial advantages for these business types will be shown.

Surgical castration of male piglets has traditionally been practiced to avoid development of boar taint in pork meat which can occur if entire male pigs are raised. Boar taint is commonly characterised as exhibiting the odour and flavour of urine and manure. This study involves sensory characterisation of the possibilities to mask boar taint in meat from entire male pigs by fermentation and smoking to maintain high sensory quality in meat products if castration is prohibited. Model and commercial type Swedish fermented sausage products based on low or high levels of boar tainted fat, three different starter cultures and two different levels of smoking were studied. In the model sausages, liquid smoke masked the perception of boar taint. In contrast, the smoking procedure of the commercial sausages was insufficient to totally mask the perception of boar taint. In both the model and commercial sausages, the aroma development from the starter cultures lowered the perception of boar taint but was insufficient for total perceptual masking. Due to the total masking effect of smoking in the model sausages, it was clear that smoke may present a potential solution to remove the perception of boar taint in fermented sausages if the smoking procedure is optimised.

We investigated how orthographic and phonological information is activated during reading, using a fast priming task, and during single word recognition, using masked priming. Specifically, different types of overlap between prime and target were contrasted: high orthographic and high phonological overlap (track-crack), high orthographic and low phonological overlap (bear-gear), or low orthographic and high phonological overlap (fruit-chute). In addition, we examined whether (orthographic) beginning overlap (swoop-swoon) yielded the same priming pattern as end (rhyme) overlap (track-crack). Prime durations were 32 and 50ms in the fast priming version, and 50ms in the masked priming version, and mode of presentation (prime and target in lower case) was identical. The fast priming experiment showed facilitatory priming effects when both orthography and phonology overlapped, with no apparent differences between beginning and end overlap pairs. Facilitation was also found when prime and target only overlapped orthographically. In contrast, the masked priming experiment showed inhibition for both types of end overlap pairs (with and without phonological overlap), and no difference for begin overlap items. When prime and target only shared principally phonological information, facilitation was only found with a long prime duration in the fast priming experiment, while no differences were found in the masked priming version. These contrasting results suggest that fast priming and masked priming do not necessarily tap into the same type of processing. PMID:24365065

We investigated how orthographic and phonological information is activated during reading, using a fast priming task, and during single-word recognition, using masked priming. Specifically, different types of overlap between prime and target were contrasted: high orthographic and high phonological overlap (track-crack), high orthographic and low phonological overlap (bear-gear), or low orthographic and high phonological overlap (fruit-chute). In addition, we examined whether (orthographic) beginning overlap (swoop-swoon) yielded the same priming pattern as end (rhyme) overlap (track-crack). Prime durations were 32 and 50 ms in the fast priming version and 50 ms in the masked priming version, and mode of presentation (prime and target in lower case) was identical. The fast priming experiment showed facilitatory priming effects when both orthography and phonology overlapped, with no apparent differences between beginning and end overlap pairs. Facilitation was also found when prime and target only overlapped orthographically. In contrast, the masked priming experiment showed inhibition for both types of end overlap pairs (with and without phonological overlap) and no difference for begin overlap items. When prime and target only shared principally phonological information, facilitation was only found with a long prime duration in the fast priming experiment, while no differences were found in the masked priming version. These contrasting results suggest that fast priming and masked priming do not necessarily tap into the same type of processing.

Collective understanding of how both the resist and line-edge roughness (LER) on the mask affect the final printed LER has made significant advances. What is poorly understood, however, is the extent to which mask surface roughness couples to image plane LER as a function of illumination conditions, NA, and defocus. Recently, progress has been made in formulating a simplified solution for mask roughness induced LER. Here, we investigate the LER behavior at long correlation lengths of surface roughness on the mask. We find that for correlation lengths greater than 3/NA in wafer dimensions and CDs greater than approximately 0.75/NA, the previously described simplified model, which remains based on physical optics, converges to a 'geometric regime' which is based on ray optics and is independent of partial coherence. In this 'geometric regime', the LER is proportional to the mask slope error as it propagates through focus, and provides a faster alternative to calculating LER in contrast to either full 2D aerial image simulation modeling or the newly proposed physical optics model. Data is presented for both an NA = 0.32 and an NA = 0.5 imaging system for CDs of 22-nm and 50-nm horizontal-line-dense structures.

UV NIL shows excellent resolution capability with remarkable low line edge roughness, and has been attracting pioneers in the industry who were searching for the finest patterns. We have been focused on the resolution improvement in mask making, and with a 100kV acceleration voltage EB writer process, we have achieved down to 18nm resolution, and have established a mask making process to meet the requirements of the pioneers. Usually such masks needed just a small field (several hundred microns square or so). Now, UV NIL exploration seems to have reached the step of feasibility study for mass production. Here, instead of a small field, a full chip field mask is required, though the resolution demand is not as tough as for the extremely advanced usage. The 100kV EB writers are adopting spot beams to generate the pattern and have a fatally low throughput if we need full chip writing. In this work, we focused on the 50keV variable shaped beam (VSB) EB writers, which are used in current 4X photomask manufacturing. The 50kV VSB writers can generate full chip pattern in a reasonable time, and by choosing the right patterning material and process, we could achieve resolution down to 32nm. Our initial results of 32nm class NIL masks with full chip field size will be shown and resolution improvement plan to further technology nodes will be discussed.

Sky masking is unavoidable in wide-field weak lensing observations. We study how masks affect the measurement of statistics of matter distribution probed by weak gravitational lensing. We first use 1000 Gaussian simulations in order to examine in detail the impact of mask regions on the weak lensing Minkowski Functionals (MFs). We consider actual sky masks used for a Subaru Suprime-Cam imaging survey. The masks increase the variance of the convergence field and thus the expected values of the MFs are biased even for a Gaussian random field. The bias is caused by two effects. One is owing to the reduced number of sampling Fourier modes, which can be accounted for analytically by considering the survey geometry appropriately. The other is owing to variation of the variance of the convergence field for each field of view. Lensing MFs are biased systematically when the reconstructed convergence field is normalized by its variance. We then use a large number of cosmological ray-tracing simulations in order to addr...

Alternating Phase Shift Mask (APSM) Technology has been developed and successfully implemented for the poly gate of 65nm node Logic application at Intel. This paper discusses the optimization of the mask design rules and fabrication process in order to enable high volume manufacturability. Intel's APSM technology is based on a dual sided trenched architecture. To meet the stringent OPC requirements associated with patterning of narrow gates required for the 65nm node, Chrome width between the Zero and Pi aperture need to be minimized. Additionally, APSM lithography has an inherently low MEEF that furthermore, drives a narrower Chrome line as compared to the Binary approach. The double sided trenched structure with narrow Chrome lines are mechanically vulnerable and prone to damage when exposed to conventional mask processing steps. Therefore, new processing approaches were developed to minimize the damage to the patterned mask features. For example, cleaning processes were optimized to minimize Chrome & quartz damage while retaining the cleaning effectiveness. In addition, mask design rules were developed which ensured manufacturability. The narrow Chrome regions between the zero and Pi apertures severely restrict the tolerance for the placement of the second level resists edges with respect to the first level. UV Laser Writer based resist patterning capability, capable of providing the required Overlay tolerance, was developed, An AIMS based methodology was used to optimize the undercut and minimize the aerial image CD difference between the Zero and Pi apertures.

A number of indicators show that China's auto industry is facing a new round of large-scale restructuring. When the global auto industry was undergoing reorganization 10 years ago, China's auto industry was in its early stages, acting in a relatively closed market, and thus it missed out on that important event. However, the situation is different today. In the past decade, China's auto industry has grown at a rapid pace. While the world's major transnational companies are

Full Text Available A great challenge to the field of visual neuroscience is to understand how faces are encoded and represented within the human brain. Here we show evidence from functional magnetic resonance imaging (fMRI for spatially distributed processing of the whole face and its components in face-sensitive human visual cortex. We used multi-class linear pattern classifiers constructed with a leave-one-scan-out verification procedure to discriminate brain activation patterns elicited by whole faces, the internal features alone, and the external head outline alone. Furthermore, our results suggest that whole faces are represented disproportionately in the fusiform cortex (FFA whereas the building blocks of faces are represented disproportionately in occipitotemporal cortex (OFA. Faces and face components may therefore be organized with functional clustering within both the FFA and OFA, but with specialization for face components in the OFA and the whole face in the FFA.

Full Text Available A novel design of a movable mask (collimator for high-current accelerators is proposed. The mask head is supported by a ceramic rod to reduce interference with the beam. One side of the support is coated with a thin (∼1 μm conductive material to avoid extra charge up of the head. The head is also made of ceramics to avoid direct damage from an intense beam. To investigate the availability of the new movable mask, the rf properties, such as the impedances of trapped modes and the loss factors, were evaluated by simulation codes. The frequencies and the Q values of the trapped modes were also measured using a test model, and compared with calculated ones. Two trial modes for KEKB are being manufactured, and will be tested with beams next year.

MICADO is a near-IR camera for the Europea ELT, featuring an extended field (75" diameter) for imaging, and also spectrographic and high contrast imaging capabilities. It has been chosen by ESO as one of the two first-light instruments. Although it is ultimately aimed at being fed by the MCAO module called MAORY, MICADO will come with an internal SCAO system that will be complementary to it and will deliver a high performance on axis correction, suitable for coronagraphic and pupil masking applications. The basis of the pupil masking approach is to ensure the stability of the optical transfer function, even in the case of residual errors after AO correction (due to non common path errors and quasi-static aberrations). Preliminary designs of pupil masks are presented. Trade-offs and technical choices, especially regarding redundancy and pupil tracking, are explained.

The application of Au/Si{sub 3}N{sub 4} stencil masks for the transfer of patterns using different MeV-ion beams with various substrates has been investigated. The techniques investigated were namely, conventional lithography with positive- and negative-tone resist polymers, oxygen ion-induced etching of PTFE and patterning using an etch-stop in silicon. We demonstrate that using different well-known microtechnology material-modification techniques, patterns can be transferred using stencil masks and broad ion beams to nanomachining scenarios. In the case of the etch-stop process; writing of 3D micropatterns with different height levels was achieved using a broad beam. The stencil masks were found to be durable with no obvious deterioration and well suited for exposure of large areas.

Mask writers' architectures have evolved through the years in response to ever tightening requirements for better resolution, tighter feature placement, improved CD control, and tolerable write time. The unprecedented extension of optical lithography and the myriad of Resolution Enhancement Techniques have tasked current mask writers with ever increasing shot count and higher dose, and therefore, increasing write time. Once again, we see the need for a transition to a new type of mask writer based on massively parallel architecture. These platforms offer a step function improvement in both dose and the ability to process massive amounts of data. The higher dose and almost unlimited appetite for edge corrections open new windows of opportunity to further push the envelope. These architectures are also naturally capable of producing curvilinear shapes, making the need to approximate a curve with multiple Manhattan shapes unnecessary.

The present invention is directed to the use of vitreous carbon as a substrate material for providing masks for X-ray lithography. The new substrate also enables a small thickness of the mask absorber used to pattern the resist, and this enables improved mask accuracy. An alternative embodiment comprised the use of vitreous carbon as a LIGA substrate wherein the VC wafer blank is etched in a reactive ion plasma after which an X-ray resist is bonded. This surface treatment provides a surface enabling good adhesion of the X-ray photoresist and subsequent nucleation and adhesion of the electrodeposited metal for LIGA mold-making while the VC substrate practically eliminates secondary radiation effects that lead to delamination of the X-ray resist form the substrate, the loss of isolated resist features, and the formation of a resist layer adjacent to the substrate that is insoluble in the developer.

The concept of a multidimensional psychological space, in which faces can be represented according to their perceived properties, is fundamental to the modern theorist in face processing. Yet the idea was not clearly expressed until 1991. The background that led to the development of face-space is explained, and its continuing influence on theories of face processing is discussed. Research that has explored the properties of the face-space and sought to understand caricature, including facial adaptation paradigms, is reviewed. Face-space as a theoretical framework for understanding the effect of ethnicity and the development of face recognition is evaluated. Finally, two applications of face-space in the forensic setting are discussed. From initially being presented as a model to explain distinctiveness, inversion, and the effect of ethnicity, face-space has become a central pillar in many aspects of face processing. It is currently being developed to help us understand adaptation effects with faces. While being in principle a simple concept, face-space has shaped, and continues to shape, our understanding of face perception.

Terahertz imaging systems have received substantial attention from the scientific community for their use in astronomy, spectroscopy, plasma diagnostics and security. One approach to designing such systems is to use focal plane arrays. Although the principle of these systems is straightforward, realizing practical architectures has proven deceptively difficult. A different approach to imaging consists of spatially encoding the incoming flux of electromagnetic energy prior to detection using a reconfigurable mask. This technique is referred to as "coded aperture" or "Hadamard" imaging. This paper details the design, fabrication and testing of a prototype coded aperture mask operating at WR-1.5 (500-750 GHz) that uses the switching properties of vanadium dioxide(VO2). The reconfigurable mask consists of bowtie antennas with vanadium dioxide VO2 elements at the feed points. From the symmetry, a unit cell of the array can be represented by an equivalent waveguide whose dimensions limit the maximum operating frequency. In this design, the cutoff frequency of the unit cell is 640 GHz. The VO2 devices are grown using reactive-biased target ion beam deposition. A reflection coefficient (S11) measurement of the mask in the WR-1.5 (500-750 GHz) band is conducted. The results are compared with circuit models and found to be in good agreement. A simulation of the transmission response of the mask is conducted and shows a transmission modulation of up to 28 dB. This project is a first step towards the development of a full coded aperture imaging system operating at WR-1.5 with VO2 as the mask switching element.

Sharp wave ripples (SPW-Rs) are thought to play an important role in memory consolidation. By rapid replay of previously stored information during slow wave sleep and consummatory behavior, they result from the formation of neural ensembles during a learning period. Serotonin (5-HT), suggested to be able to modify SPW-Rs, can affect many neurons simultaneously by volume transmission and alter network functions in an orchestrated fashion. In acute slices from dorsal hippocampus, SPW-Rs can be induced by repeated high frequency stimulation that induces long-lasting LTP. We used this model to study SPW-R appearance and modulation by 5-HT. Although stimulation in presence of 5-HT permitted LTP induction, SPW-Rs were "masked"--but appeared after 5-HT wash-out. This SPW-R masking was dose dependent with 100 nM 5-HT being sufficient--if the 5-HT re-uptake inhibitor citalopram was present. Fenfluramine, a serotonin releaser, could also mask SPW-Rs. Masking was due to 5-HT1A and 5-HT2A/C receptor activation. Neither membrane potential nor membrane conductance changes in pyramidal cells caused SPW-R blockade since both remained unaffected by combining 5-HT and citalopram. Moreover, 10 and 30 μM 5-HT mediated SPW-R masking preceded neuronal hyperpolarization and involved reduced presynaptic transmitter release. 5-HT, as well as a 5-HT1A agonist, augmented paired pulse facilitation and affected the coefficient of variance. Spontaneous SPW-Rs in mice hippocampal slices were also masked by 5-HT and fenfluramine. While neuronal ensembles can acquire long lasting LTP during higher 5-HT levels, lower 5-HT levels enable neural ensembles to replay previously stored information and thereby permit memory consolidation memory.

Shadow Mask assisted Molecular Beam Epitaxy (SMMBE) is a technique enabling selected area epitaxy of semiconductor heterostructures through shadow masks. The objective of this work was the development of the SMMBE technique for the reliable fabrication of compound semiconductor nanostructures of high structural and optical quality. In order to accomplish this, technological processes have been developed and optimized. One of the technological developments to this effect, which has substantially enhanced the versatility of SMMBE, is the introduction of a new type of freestanding shadow masks. A consistent model has been developed, which successfully explains the growth dynamics of molecular beam epitaxy through shadow masks. The predictions of the model regarding the growth of II-VI and III-V compounds have been tested experimentally and the dependence of the growth rates on the growth parameters has been verified. Moreover, it has been shown, that selected area epitaxy of II-VI and III-V compounds are governed by different surface kinetics. In addition to the basic surface kinetic processes described by the model, the roles of orientation and strain-dependent growth dynamics, partial shadow, and material deposition on the mask (closure of apertures) have been discussed. The resulting advanced understanding of the growth dynamics (model and basic experiments) in combination with the implementation of technical improvements has enabled the development and application of a number of different processes for the fabrication of both II-VI and III-V nanostructures. In addition to specific material properties, various other phenomena have been exploited, e.g., self-organization. Bright cathodoluminescence demonstrates that the resulting quantum structures are of high structural and optical quality. In addition to these results the limitations of the method have also been discussed, and various approaches to overcome them have been suggested. Moreover, propositions for the

The defectivity challenges of extreme ultraviolet (EUV) masks, that need to be addressed before production readiness of EUV lithography is assured from the mask perspective, are twofold. First, the EUV-specific defect type relating to the multi-layer (ML) mirror, the so-called ML-defects, require to become more detectable than they are printable. This not only requires proven capability of blank inspection, but also the existence of satisfactory printability mitigation strategies (comprising avoidance, pattern shift methodology, compensation repair). Both these assets need to become available within the mask supply chain, as there is little that can still be done about such residual defects at the wafer fab. In a production phase, finding unexpected printing ML-defects is unacceptable. It is shown how the specific way-of-working in use at imec, starting from the printed wafer, contributes to related learning and identification of remaining gaps, in getting this issue fully dealt with. The second challenge relates to particle contamination during use of the reticle at the wafer fab. Avoiding overlaycritical particles on the backside of NXE3100 reticles is facilitated by the established way-of-working. Minimizing the occurrence of particles "hopping" between reticles via the electrostatic clamp of the scanner (so-called clamp-traveling particles) is a major driver for appropriate mask cleaning. The latter may not have negative impact by frequent use, in view of the highly vulnerable EUV mask stack, and especially for the present "black-border" solution in which the ML is etched away at the image border on the reticle. A lot of effort is spent into monitoring of NXE3100 reticles for particle adders on the pattern side. This is realized by comparing past and present mask defect maps obtained by inspection of printed wafers with subsequent repeater analysis.

Missing-data strategies have been developed to improve the noise-robustness of automatic speech recognition systems in adverse acoustic conditions. This is achieved by classifying time-frequency (T-F) units into reliable and unreliable components, as indicated by a so-called binary mask. Different...... approaches have been proposed to handle unreliable feature components, each with distinct advantages. The direct masking (DM) approach attenuates unreliable T-F units in the spectral domain, which allows the extraction of conventionally used mel-frequency cepstral coefficients (MFCCs). Instead of attenuating...

more ambiguous, dynamic self-image as result of an interactive evaluation of oneself by oneself and others. Seeing oneself seen contributes to the sense of who one becomes. From being absorbed in what one does, one might suddenly become self-aware, shift viewpoints and feel pressed to put on masks....... In putting on a mask, one relates to oneself in distancing oneself from oneself. In being at once a moral agent and a performing actor with an audience and norms in mind, one embodies and transcends the social roles one takes. In addition to the feeling of shame, in which the self finds itself passively...

In the push towards commercialization of extreme-ultraviolet lithography (EUVL), meeting the stringent requirements for line-edge roughness (LER) is increasingly challenging. For the 22-nm half-pitch node and below, the ITRS requires under 1.2 nm LER. Much of this LER is thought to arise from three significant contributors: LER on the mask absorber pattern, LER from the resist, and LER from mask roughness induced speckle. The physical mechanism behind the last contributor is becoming clearer, but how it is affected by the presence of aberrations is less well understood. Here, we conduct a full 2D aerial image simulation analysis of aberrations sensitivities of mask roughness induced LER for the first 37 fringe zernikes. These results serve as a guideline for future LER aberrations control. In examining how to mitigate mask roughness induced LER, we next consider an alternate illumination scheme whereby a traditional dipole's angular spectrum is extended in the direction parallel to the line-and-space mask absorber pattern to represent a 'strip'. While this illumination surprisingly provides merely minimal improvement to the LER as several alternate illumination schemes, overall imaging quality in terms of ILS, NILS, and contrast is improved. While the 22-nm half-pitch node can tolerate significant aberrations from a mask roughness induced LER perspective, total aberration levels for the 16-nm half-pitch node need to be strictly capped at 0.25nm rms to meet the ITRS guidelines. An individual aberrations study for the first 37 fringe zernikes on the 16-nm half-pitch node at the 0.25nm rms level reveals a sensitivity to various forms of spherical aberrations (Z9 & Z25) and quadrafoil (Z28) in particular, under conventional crosspole illumination ({sigma} = 0.10). Compared to conventional dipole or crosspole illuminations, an extended dipole 'strip' illumination scheme offers a way to mitigate mask roughness induced LER, while still maintaining

Full Text Available Taste is a critical factor during development of any dosage form and it is important parameter in administering drugs orally. Undesirable and particularly bitter taste is one of the important formulation problems that are encountered with many drugs. Proven methods for bitterness reduction and inhibition have resulted in improved palatability of oral pharmaceuticals. The present review explains in detail the various methods and agents used for taste-masking like, Inclusion complexation, Ion exchange resin, Coating, Granulation, Microencapsulation, Flavors, and Sweeteners, Pro-drug etc.The review also highlights factors affecting the selection of technology for taste masking and methods for evaluation of taste.

Empirical studies on the development of face processing skills with age show inconsistent patterns concerning qualitative vs. quantitative changes over time or the age range for peak cognitive performance. In the present study, we tested the proficiency in face detection and face categorization with a large sample of participants (N = 312; age range: 2-88 yrs). As test objects, we used so-called Mooney faces, two-tone (black and white) images of faces lacking critical information of a local, featural and relational nature, reflecting difficult real world face processing conditions. We found that performance in the assessment of gender and age from Mooney faces increases up to about age 15, and decreases from 65 years on. The implications of these findings are discussed in the light of classic and recent findings from face development literature.

It is a widespread assumption that all primate species process faces in the same way because the species are closely related and they engage in similar social interactions. However, this approach ignores potentially interesting and informative differences that may exist between species. This paper describes a comparative study of holistic face processing. Twelve subjects (six chimpanzees Pan troglodytes and six rhesus monkeys Macaca mulatta) were trained to discriminate whole faces (faces wit...

Traditional MEMS (microelectromechanical system) design methodology is not a structured method and has become an obstacle for MEMS creative design. In this paper, a novel method of mask synthesis and verification for surface micro-machined MEMS is proposed, which is based on the geometric model of a MEMS device. The emphasis is focused on synthesizing the masks at the basis of the layer model generated from the geometric model of the MEMS device. The method is comprised of several steps: the correction of the layer model, the generation of initial masks and final masks including multi-layer etch masks, and mask simulation. Finally some test results are given.

Object substitution masking (OSM) occurs when a briefly presented target in a search array is surrounded by small dots that remain visible after the target disappears. Here, we tested the widespread assumption that OSM selectively impairs reentrant processing. If OSM interferes selectively...... with reentrant processing, then the first feedforward sweep should be left relatively intact. Using a standard OSM paradigm in combination with a saccadic choice task, giving access to an early phase of visual processing (the fastest saccades occurring only 100 ms after target onset), we compared the masking....... Interestingly, the same result was observed using backward masking. In a follow-up experiment, where we assessed observer’s visual awareness using single-trial visibility ratings, we demonstrated that these ultra-fast responses were actually linked to subsequent reported visibility. Taken together...

Visual communication cues facilitate interpersonal communication. It is important that we look at faces to retrieve and subsequently process such cues. It is also important that we sometimes look away from faces as they increase cognitive load that may interfere with online processing. Indeed, when typically developing individuals hold face gaze…

This report is the first milestone report for the actinic mask blank inspection project conducted at the VNL, which forms sub-section 3 of the Q1 2003 mask blank technology transfer program at the VNL. Specifically this report addresses deliverable 3.1.1--design review and preliminary tool design. The goal of this project is to design an actinic mask inspection tool capable of operating in two modes: high-speed scanning for the detection of multilayer defects (inspection mode), and a high-resolution aerial image mode in which the image emulates the imaging illumination conditions of a stepper system (aerial image or AIM mode). The purpose and objective of these two modes is as follows: (1) Defect inspection mode--This imaging mode is designed to scan large areas of the mask for defects EUV multilayer coatings. The goal is to detect the presence of multilayer defects on a mask blank and to store the co-ordinates for subsequent review in AIM mode, thus it is not essential that the illumination and imaging conditions match that of a production stepper. Potential uses for this imaging mode include: (a) Correlating the results obtained using actinic inspection with results obtained using other non-EUV defect inspection systems to verify that the non-EUV scanning systems are detecting all critical defects; (b) Gaining sufficient information to associate defects with particular processes, such as various stages of the multilayer deposition or different modes of operation of the deposition tool; and (c) Assessing the density and EUV impact of surface and multilayer anomalies. Because of the low defect density achieved using current multilayer coating technology it is necessary to be able to efficiently scan large areas of the mask in order to obtain sufficient statistics for use in cross-correlation experiments. Speed of operation as well as sensitivity is therefore key to operation in defect inspection mode. (2) Aerial Image Microscope (AIM) mode--In AIM mode the tool is

Today's global communities of users expect quality of service from distributed Grid systems equivalent to that their local data centers. This must be coupled to ubiquitous access to the ensemble of processing and storage resources across multiple Grid infrastructures. We are still facing significant challenges in meeting these expectations, especially in the underlying security, a sustainable and successful economic model, and smoothing the boundaries between administrative and technical domains. Using the Open Science Grid as an example, I examine the status and challenges of Grids operating in production today.

The title “Many faces of migration”, connecting contributions in this special issue, is borrowed from the already mentioned Gallup Institute’s report on global migration (Esipova, 2011. The guiding principle in the selection of the contributions has been their diversity, reflected also in the list of disciplines represented by the authors: sociology, geography, ethnology and cultural anthropology, history, art history, modern Mediterranean studies, gender studies and media studies. Such an approach necessarily leads not only to a diverse, but at least seemingly also incompatib

's legal right to choose TOP and considerations about the foetus' right to live were suppressed. Midwives experienced a dilemma when faced with aborted foetuses that looked like newborns and when aborted foetuses showed signs of life after a termination. Furthermore, they were critical of how physicians...... counsel women/couples after prenatal diagnosis. CONCLUSIONS: The midwives' practice in relation to late TOP was characterised by an acknowledgement of the growing ethical status of the foetus and the emotional reactions of the women/couples going through late TOP. Other professions as well as structural...

The perpetual shrinking in critical dimensions in semiconductor devices is driving the need for increased resolution in optical lithography. Increasing NA to gain resolution also increases Optical Proximity Correction (OPC) model complexity. Some optical effects which have been completely neglected in OPC modeling become important. Over the past few years, off-axis illumination has been widely used to improve the imaging process. OPC models which utilize such illumination still use the thin film mask approximation (Kirchhoff approach), during optical model generation, which utilizes a normal incidence. However, simulating a three dimensional mask near-field using an off-axis illumination requires OPC models to introduce oblique incidence. In addition, the use of higher NA systems introduces high obliquity field components that can no longer be assimilated as normal incident waves. The introduction of oblique incidence requires other effects, such as corner rounding of mask features, to be considered, that are seldom taken into account in OPC modeling. In this paper, the effects of oblique incidence and corner rounding of mask features on resist contours of 2D structures (i.e. line-ends and corners) are studied. Rigorous electromagnetic simulations are performed to investigate the scattering properties of various lithographic 32nm node mask structures. Simulations are conducted using a three dimensional phase shift mask topology and an off-axis illumination at high NA. Aerial images are calculated and compared with those obtained from a classical normal incidence illumination. The benefits of using an oblique incidence to improve hot-spot prediction will be discussed.

... this page: //medlineplus.gov/ency/article/004004.htm Aging changes in the face To use the sharing ... face with age References Brodie SE, Francis JH. Aging and disorders of the eye. In: Fillit HM, ...

The mask error budget continues to shrink with shrinking DRAM half pitch and MPU gate size year by year. The ITRS roadmap calls for mask CDU to be cut in half by 2014[1]. Both mask maker and mask user must take advantage of various mask properties, OPC strategies and resolution enhancement techniques to drive improvements. Mask material selection impacts both lithographic performance and mask manufacturability. In turn mask material properties and manufacturing techniques impact our ability to meet the technology roadmap. Studies have shown the advantages of polarized light[2,3] as well as the impact of various mask materials on high NA lithography[4]. In this paper we select the recently introduced binary mask material made from a MoSi absorber called Opaque MoSi On Glass (OMOG) for comparison with the conventional 6% att. PSM and 20% att. MoSi PSM. Through simulation and wafer prints, we optimized mask feature from viewpoint of MEEF and maximum exposure latitude (EL). The MoSi att. PSMs suffer from higher MEEF, which is attributed to the negative effect of TE polarization for mask duty cycle of 50% for 50 nm half pitch and below. Therefore a lower mask duty cycle is required for att. PSM to bring the MEEF performance back to acceptable levels. Experimental results confirm simulation results. As a result of the lower mask duty cycle, the att. MoSi PSMs exhibit poor Sub Resolution Assist Feature (SRAF) printability. On the contrary, the MoSi binary mask delivers both acceptable MEEF and acceptable SRAF printing performance. Moreover, we found that the mask structure impact of OMOG to wafer CD is smallest among three masks. OMOG gives the best combination of lithographic performance and delivery compared to the MoSi att. PSMs.

We present the fabrication and experimental demonstration of three free-standing binary shaped pupil mask coronagraphs, which are applicable for telescopes with partially obscured pupils. Three masks, designed to be complementary (labeled Mask-A, Mask-B, and Mask-C), were formed in 5 micron thick nickel. The design of Mask-A is based on a one-dimensional barcode mask. The design principle of Mask-B is similar, but has a smaller inner working angle and a lower contrast than Mask-A. Mask-C is based on a concentric ring mask and provides the widest dark region and a symmetric point spread function. Mask-A and Mask-C were both designed to produce a flexibly tailored dark region (i.e., non-uniform contrast). The contrast was evaluated using a light source comprising a broadband super-luminescent light-emitting diode with a center wavelength of 650 nm, and the measurements were carried out in a large vacuum chamber. Active wavefront control was not applied in this work. The coronagraphic images obtained by experime...

Because mask patterning quality of CD uniformity, MTT, registration and smaller assist feature size is important for wafer patterning, the higher exposure dose and complex pattern design will be necessary. It is the reason why the faster and more accurate e-beam mask writer is needed for future design node. Multi-beam mask writer is the most promising new e-beam mask writer technology for future sub-10nm device mask patterning to solve the pattern quality issue and writing time problem. In this report, the technical challenges of multi-beam mask writer are discussed by comparison with problems of current VSB e-beam mask writer. Comparing with e-beam mask writer which has the critical issues of beam size and position control, the application of entirely different methods and techniques of CD and position control is essential for multi-beam mask writer which has new architecture and writing strategy. Using the simulation method, we present the different challenges between VSB and multi-beam mask writer. And there are many important technical requirements to achieve expected specification of multi-beam mask writer. To understand such requirements, the patterning simulation and mathematical calculation are done for analysis. Based on the patterning simulation, the detail technical requirements and issues of multi-beam mask writer are achieved. Consequently, we suggest the direction of multi-beam mask writer development in terms of technical challenges and requirements.

In this paper we will describe the development of a new 12% high transmission phase shift mask technology for use with the 10 nm logic node. The primary motivation for this work was to improve the lithographic process window for 10 nm node via hole patterning by reducing the MEEF and improving the depth of focus (DOF). First, the simulated MEEF and DOF data will be compared between the 6% and high T PSM masks with the transmission of high T mask blank varying from 12% to 20%. This resulted in selection of a 12% transmission phase shift mask. As part of this work a new 12% attenuated phase shift mask blank was developed. A detailed description and results of the key performance metrics of the new mask blank including radiation durability, dry etch properties, film thickness, defect repair, and defect inspection will be shared. In addition, typical mask critical dimension uniformity and mask minimum feature size performance for 10 nm logic node via level mask patterns will be shown. Furthermore, the results of work to optimize the chrome hard mask film properties to meet the final mask minimum feature size requirements will be shared. Lastly, the key results of detailed lithographic performance comparisons of the process of record 6% and new 12% phase shift masks on wafer will be described. The 12% High T blank shows significantly better MEEF and larger DOF than those of 6% PSM mask blank, which is consistent with our simulation data.

This study investigated how gifted children with dyslexia might be able to mask literacy problems and the role of possible compensatory mechanisms. The sample consisted of 121 Dutch primary school children that were divided over four groups (typically developing [TD] children, children with dyslexia

This study investigated how gifted children with dyslexia might be able to mask literacy problems and the role of possible compensatory mechanisms. The sample consisted of 121 Dutch primary school children that were divided over four groups (typically developing [TD] children, children with dyslexia

Four experiments are reported which were designed to test hypotheses concerning the asymmetry of masked translation priming. Experiment 1 confirmed the presence of L2-L1 priming with a semantic categorization task and demonstrated that this effect was restricted to exemplars. Experiment 2 showed that the translation priming effect was not due to…

Studies evaluating temporal auditory processing among individuals with reading and other language deficits have yielded inconsistent findings due to methodological problems (Studdert-Kennedy & Mody, 1995) and sample differences. In the current study, seven auditory masking thresholds were measured in fifty-two 7- to 10-year-old children (26…

Four experiments are reported which were designed to test hypotheses concerning the asymmetry of masked translation priming. Experiment 1 confirmed the presence of L2-L1 priming with a semantic categorization task and demonstrated that this effect was restricted to exemplars. Experiment 2 showed that the translation priming effect was not due to…

The processing of a visual target that follows a briefly presented prime stimulus can be facilitated if prime and target stimuli are similar. In contrast to these positive priming effects, inverse priming effects (or negative compatibility effects) have been found when a mask follows prime stimuli before the target stimulus is presented: Responses…

This study investigated how gifted children with dyslexia might be able to mask literacy problems and the role of possible compensatory mechanisms. The sample consisted of 121 Dutch primary school children that were divided over four groups (typically developing [TD] children, children with dyslexia, gifted children, gifted children with…

of the study investigates the relation between CMR and envelope-based binaural masking level differences (BMLD), using narrowband noise maskers and classical across-channel configurations (like N0Spi, N0Sm). In the second part, a model is presented that explicitly simulates CMR whereby the EC mechanism...

Are words stored as morphologically structured representations? If so, when during word recognition are morphological pieces accessed? Recent masked priming studies support models that assume early decomposition of (potentially) morphologically complex words. The electrophysiological evidence, however, is inconsistent. We combined masked…

In this paper, a fractional order chaoticmasking scheme used for secure communication isintroduced. Based on the general projectivesynchronization of two coupled fractional Chen systems,a popular masking scheme is designed. Numericalexample is given to demonstrate the effectiveness of theproposed method.

This study examined combinations of energetic and informational maskers in speech identification. Speech targets and maskers (speech or noise) were processed and filtered into sets of 15 narrow frequency bands. The target was the sum of eight randomly selected bands. More masking occurred for speech maskers than for spectrally matched noise maskers regardless of whether the masker bands overlapped the target bands. The greater effect of the speech maskers was interpreted as due to informational masking. When the masker was comprised of nonoverlapping bands of speech, the addition of bands of noise overlapping the speech masker, but not the speech target, reduced the overall amount of masking. Surprisingly, presenting the noise to the ear contralateral to the target and masker produced an even greater release from masking. The contralateral noise was apparently sufficient to cause a slight change in the image of the ipsilateral speech masker, possibly pulling it away from the target enough to allow the focus of attention on the target. This finding is consistent with the interpretation that in some conditions small binaural differences may be sufficient to cause, or significantly strengthen, the perceptual segregation of sounds.

Aug 17, 2013 ... muscular blocking drugs with their own risks and side- ... Clinicians tend to avoid the use of a laryngeal mask airway (LMA) in ... Patients are more haemodynamically stable if induced in the prone position .... be more pertinent in male patients.4 ... average body mass index (BMI) was 30.6 kg/m2 for females.

Photomask lithography for the 22nm technology node and beyond requires new approaches in equipment as well as mask design. Multi Shaped Beam technology (MSB) for photomask patterning using a matrix of small beamlets instead of just one shaped beam, is a very effective and evolutionary enhancement of the well established Variable Shaped Beam (VSB) technique. Its technical feasibility has been successfully demonstrated [2]. One advantage of MSB is the productivity gain over VSB with decreasing critical dimensions (CDs) and increasing levels of optical proximity correction (OPC) or for inverse lithography technology (ILT) and source mask optimization (SMO) solutions. This makes MSB an attractive alternative to VSB for photomask lithography at future technology nodes. The present paper describes in detail the working principles and advantages of MSB over VSB for photomask applications. MSB integrates the electron optical column, x/y stage and data path into an operational electron beam lithography system. Multi e-beam mask writer specific requirements concerning the computational lithography and their implementation are outlined here. Data preparation of aggressive OPC layouts, shot count reductions over VSB, data path architecture, write time simulation and several aspects of the exposure process sequence are also discussed. Analysis results of both the MSB processing and the write time of full 32nm and 22nm node critical layer mask layouts are presented as an example.

This study investigated how gifted children with dyslexia might be able to mask literacy problems and the role of possible compensatory mechanisms. The sample consisted of 121 Dutch primary school children that were divided over four groups (typically developing [TD] children, children with

This study investigated how gifted children with dyslexia might be able to mask literacy problems and the role of possible compensatory mechanisms. The sample consisted of 121 Dutch primary school children that were divided over four groups (typically developing [TD] children, children with

Reservoir computing is a novel bio-inspired computing method, capable of solving complex tasks in a computationally efficient way. It has recently been successfully implemented using delayed feedback systems, allowing to reduce the hardware complexity of brain-inspired computers drastically. In this approach, the pre-processing procedure relies on the definition of a temporal mask which serves as a scaled time-mutiplexing of the input. Originally, random masks had been chosen, motivated by the random connectivity in reservoirs. This random generation can sometimes fail. Moreover, for hardware implementations random generation is not ideal due to its complexity and the requirement for trial and error. We outline a procedure to reliably construct an optimal mask pattern in terms of multipurpose performance, derived from the concept of maximum length sequences. Not only does this ensure the creation of the shortest possible mask that leads to maximum variability in the reservoir states for the given reservoir, it also allows for an interpretation of the statistical significance of the provided training samples for the task at hand.

of the study investigates the relation between CMR and envelope-based binaural masking level differences (BMLD), using narrowband noise maskers and classical across-channel configurations (like N0Spi, N0Sm). In the second part, a model is presented that explicitly simulates CMR whereby the EC mechanism...